


Make Me Feel Like Someone Else

by agntsanvers



Category: Power Rangers (2017)
Genre: Aladdin AU, Billy and trini brotp, F/F, angst? in my au? it's more likely than you think, but like also fluffy cause it's aladdin lmao, zack and trini brotp
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-30
Updated: 2019-09-13
Packaged: 2020-07-27 12:55:48
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 8
Words: 31,159
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20046382
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/agntsanvers/pseuds/agntsanvers
Summary: Who knew that saving a pretty girl from a rude merchant would send Trini’s life spiralling out of control? Not Trini, that’s for sure, but she wouldn't trade it for anything.





	1. Please Just Follow Me

**Author's Note:**

> So you don't need to know a lot about the new Aladdin movie, I tried to keep everything pretty clear so you can understand it even if you haven't seen it.

“Look at that!” Zack hears his son, Argo, yell. “I wish our ship was that big.

“That would be amazing,” Fati, Argo’s sister, agrees.

Zack glances away from the knot he’s securing to look at the boat his children are marveling at. It’s nice. The ship obviously belongs to a rich merchant with opulent green sails and fresh paint on the sides. So, sure, it looks fancy, but it’s not his boat. Not their sturdy little ship that has never failed them, even through the toughest storms. He wanders over to where the children are leaning over the railing in an effort to get closer to the object of their fascination. 

“It might be colorful and big, but this one has seen us through many a storm. It doesn’t look like much, but it has something theirs never will.”

“Like what?” Fati asks. “I bet that boat even has cannons.”

Zack changes tactics. “Have you guys ever heard of Prince Aladdin?”

“No.” “Who’s that?” His children speak in sync.

“What about Trini or the fair Princess Kim?” Fati and Argo shake their heads. “Well, I’ll tell you about them, about the diamond in the rough.”

Zack hears a snort behind him. “Don’t forget about the genie,” a voice chimes in.

“As though I could forget.” Zack laughs. “Who do you think I am?”

A brief kiss is pressed to the top of his head, a gentle thumb brushing a lock of hair behind his ear. “You’re a doofus, that’s who.”

“There’s a genie?!”

Zack’s attention is drawn back to his children who suddenly look much more interested in the story.he leads them to a corner of the ship with plenty of room for them to sit. “Imagine a land, it’s a far away place, where the caravan camels roam…”

* * *

The marketplace is packed, merchants and customers alike crowding the streets. It’s a menagerie of color and sound and smell, rich purple fabrics, the twang of kinura music, the smell of turmeric and spice. 

It’s easy to stay hidden in the crowds, especially with years of experience. Trini ducks and weaves easily through the throngs of people, staying parallel to Abu and their target. She keeps an eye out for the city guard as Abu climbs onto the leg of a merchant stand. He stays still until the man they’ve been trailing comes within reach, leaning out slightly and grabbing his coin purse as merchants vie for his attention. 

The little monkey gives the signal and Trini turns her back on the market, making her way to quieter streets. Abu will meet them close to Madam Z’s shop, where they’ll hopefully have enough to buy a real, filling meal. If Trini has to eat dates one more time, she may just go insane. Abu joins her a few minutes later, chattering at her as he drops the coin purse into her waiting hands. 

“Good job, buddy.” She hefts the purse in her hands. There should be enough inside to feed them for almost two weeks, if Trini is smart.

Abu chitters back, adjusting the tiny fez he wears as he preens at the praise. 

Two houses away from Madame Z’s, Trini finds herself faltering. 

A small family, dirt-caked and gaunt, sit against a wall. The children hold their hands out, imploring anyone to share a coin or two. The mother stares blankly at the opposite wall. She’s more bone than person at this point. Trini can tell she gives everything she can to her kids.

Abu tugs on her ear, his noises sounding almost like, “oh no you don’t.”

“We have to, Abu.”

Abu huffs, grabbing two coins from the pouch before pouting on Trini’s shoulder. 

She approaches one of the children, dropping the purse into his waiting hands. She winks at his surprised expression and fades into the moving crowd. Trini smiles to herself, even as Abu’s angry face looms in her peripherals. 

“We’ll survive. You know that.” Trini knows the look on the mother’s face, the signals her body language sends. She would barely last to the end of the week without some help.

They buy a small pouch of pita and a bowl of hummus. Sharing the food, they wander back towards the main market, looking for another easy target. Abu spots one first, tugging on Trini’s ear until she notices.

A woman wanders from stall to stall, brushing her hands over bits of fabric that catch her eye. The clothes she wears practically scream money. A beautiful white silk scarf is draped around her head, covering most of her face. Looking closer, Trini can tell it’s not just her scarf that’s made of the expensive fabric. Everything, even decorations on her shoes, is silk. Trini keeps the woman in sight, slowly working her way closer. She sends Abu around to circle the other way. 

She watches everything go south in slow motion. The woman hands two urchins pieces of bread, turning like she’s going to walk away. As though she’s not used to paying for things. Trini watches Jamal, the asshole, realize what has happened. His bellow of anger shakes Trini. She rushes through the crowd, no longer trying to stay hidden. Just as Jamal grabs the woman, Trini steps between them.

“Woah woah woah. Jamal, my friend, what’s going on?”

Jamal, towering and strong, glares down at her. “This doesn’t concern you,  _ street rat.  _ Get out of here. This woman stole bread from my brother’s stall.”

He shoves her away, sending Trini stumbling back into the woman’s body. She barely falters as Trini bumps her, steadying her with two hands on her shoulders as she responds to Jamal. She’s less delicate than she seems. 

“No, I didn’t!” The woman’s voice is melodious, even in her anger. “Those children were  _ starving. _ ” 

“Jamal, let me talk to her. I’ll get you all sorted out.” Trini turns around and pulls the woman a few paces away.

“I do not trust you, Trini! No funny business.”

Trini turns to the woman and freezes. In the excitement, her wrap has come loose, exposing her face. This is the first look Trini’s really gotten of her. She’s gorgeous. Big brown doe eyes, soft looking skin, the woman is - 

“Trini! My money!”

“Look, um,” Trini makes a vague hand motion to ask for her name.

“Oh! K - Amanda.” She sounded almost uncertain. 

“Ok, Amanda. Do you have any money?”

Trini can’t stop looking at her. Even angry and flushed she’s utterly enchanting and Trini is having trouble focusing on the fact that they both might be arrested in the near future.

“I - I don’t have any.”

“What do you mean?” Trini asks, risking a glance back towards Jamal. He looks murderous. “Nevermind. Trust me.”

Trini turns back to Jamal, holding a bracelet she slipped from Amanda’s wrist into the air. As she turns, she just barely sees Amanda’s face twitch in confusion, a hand going to her now bare wrist. 

“My bracelet-” Trini feels hands scrabbling at her back. “No, you can’t-”

“Here, this is what you wanted, right?”

Jamal looks positively elated, starting to whistle slightly as he slips the bracelet into his pocket. 

“I’ll even throw in an apple,” Trini continues, tossing the red fruit towards him as she brushes past. 

Amanda is still protesting, trying to grab her bracelet back. Trini’s just a little bit stronger, though, and drags her away. 

“You gave him my bracelet!” Amanda hisses. 

“What, this bracelet?” Trini pulls the gold and turquoise band from her pocket.

“How?” Amanda whispers, looking over her shoulder at Jamal, who has just pulled another apple from his pocket. 

“Are we in trouble?” she asks, a response to Jamal’s call for the guards. 

“Only if we get caught.” She pushes Amanda into a side street. “Go with the monkey.”

“Hey, Jamal! Looking for this?” she hollers, holding the bracelet above her head.

Trini sprints away, laughing. She darts through a narrow street, sliding through the legs of two guards and causing them to collide. She leaps up, swinging easily between the wooden supports on the buildings. She catches up to Abu and Amanda behind a dye shop.

“This way!”

Trini runs across a plank set over the vats of dye, keeping an eye on Amanda as she weaves through the space. She keeps up nicely, smiling as she glances at Trini. Trini trips but manages to turn it into a tight flip to the ground. When they reach the edge of the shop, Trini waves Amanda and Abu away and turns to face the guards. There’s a cart a few paces away, put there for expressly this purpose. Trini stands on the edge and grabs the knife resting on a table next to the cart. She cuts the rope that holds a grain sack high above the ground. The sack hits the cart, launching Trini upwards. She grabs the edge of a window on her way down, tumbling onto the floor inside. 

“Oh,” she hears a surprised voice and looks up. Billy is sitting at his workstation, staring at Trini through some sort of magnifying eyewear. “Trini? Is that you? Why are you blurry?”

“Goggles, Baby Blue. You’ve still got your goggles on.”

Billy shoves the goggles onto his forehead. He stares at Trini for a second. She can tell he’s paying attention to her heaving shoulders, the sweat gathering at her brow, the way her dry mouth gapes in exhaustion. “The guards after you again?”

“Yup.”

“It’s been almost a week this time, nice job.”

Billy is the one person in this city that Trini can stand. After she saved him from some merchant trying to fleece him, the two had been thick as thieves. Not that Billy is a thief. That’s Trini’s job. She helps him get parts for some of his weird experiments, and he helps her hide sometimes. He also set up her home with her. 

“I try. Oh, before I forget, here.” Trini pulls a, well she isn’t really sure what it is, only that Billy wanted it. “I got your thingy.”

Billy bounces in his seat, clapping a few times before grabbing the part from Trini. “Thank you!”

Both of them fall quiet as they hear the guards racing up the stairs towards the room. “Sorry, Baby Blue, gotta run.”

“Stay safe, Trini.”

“I always do.”

Trini races across the room, diving through the window just as the guards rush in. She lands on an awning, the tight fabric causing her to bounce. She falls, bouncing off two more awnings before landing in a heap on the ground. She springs up, surprised to find Amanda standing beside her. 

“You know there are such things as stairs, right?” she asks, smirking.

Trini’s heart skips a beat. “Where’s the fun in that?”

Trini takes Amanda’s hand, pulling her away from the sounds of the guards. Abu leaps from Amanda’s shoulder to Trini’s. They act faux casual, swinging hands between them and posturing normalcy. They reach a main road and Trini looks for a quick escape. Guards down the street have noticed them and are already running closer. A horse-drawn cart trots towards them. 

“Get ready,” Trini says, grabbing tighter to Amanda’s hand.

“Ready? Ready for -” 

Her question devolves into a yelp as Trini grabs onto the side of the cart as it goes past, pulling herself and Amanda onto it. She looks over at the other girl to make sure she’s okay. The scarf that had been wrapped around her head has fallen to rest on her shoulders. Her hair is dark and wild around her face from running. Her cheeks are rosy and there’s a stunned expression on her face. Trini laughs at the way her jaw hangs ever so slightly open in shock.

“You good?”

The question seems to break through her surprise. “I will have to get back to you on that,” she says.

“Our stop is coming up. Get ready.”

Trini squeezes her hand twice in an effort to be soothing. A slight tug and a step down and they’re standing on the road, watching the cart roll away. Trini can still hear the guards. They’re dedicated today. Maybe they think they’ll actually catch her. Trini huffs out a laugh at the thought. As though they’re competent enough to bring her in. 

She leads them through the streets and onto the roof of a building. The guards are closing in, and Trini jumps from roof to roof, making sure that Amanda is able to catch up. They reach a building where the gap between the buildings is just a bit too long to jump over. Trini hands Amanda a long stick before clambering up the side of a wood crane. 

“Jump on three,” Trini instructs.

“On three? We  _ jump _ ?” Amanda asks.

“Why do you keep repeating everything I say? Trini smirks. “Grab the pole.”

“The pole? What-” but Trini is already moving, shouting the countdown before springing into action.

She flies through the air, landing in a tumble on the other roof. She turns to her side, expecting to see Amanda standing there. “I can’t do it, I’m sorry!” she hears from over her shoulder.

Amanda is still crouched on the opposite roof, hands shaking as she grasps the pole.

She clambers up to the third story roof, around where Amanda would land once she jumps. “You can do it,” Trini calls.

“No, I really don’t think I can.”

“Do you trust me?” Trini’s not even sure why she’s asking but Amanda is nodding and something in Trini’s chest loosens. “You’re gonna make it over, Amanda. You’ve got this. Now jump!”

Trini sees the tops of the guards heads appear as they climb to the roof. She starts to stand, ready to jump back over when she hears Amanda yelp. Trini looks up just in time to see Amanda heading straight for her. She lands solidly in her lap, Trini’s hands going reflexively to Amanda’s hips in an effort to stabilize her. 

Trini can’t stop herself from saying, “Told you.”

* * *

“This way,” Trini says, leading them down a dead end alley. “Wait here.”

Billy installed the staircase a few months ago, rambling about gears and levers and soft sandstone being the perfect material. Trini hadn’t stopped him as he measured her alley and doorway, hadn’t protested when his building forced her to climb up the other side of the building and slip through a window. She’d trusted that Billy would explain in due time whatever he was up to. When he was done, Trini was floored by the contraption he had created. She’d never seen anything like it, and told him so. 

She wonders if the same awe on her face the first time she saw it will be mirrored on Amanda’s.

Trini crosses to the hidden lever, pulling it and standing back as the steps emerge. They come out slowly, groaning and grinding against the sandstone. Amanda’s eyes light up and she gasps sharply. And yeah, Trini knows exactly how she feels. 

“You live here?”

“Home sweet home,” Trini says, waving Amanda up the stairs.

She follows Amanda, trying to see her space as an outsider, as Amanda might. It’s not horrible. Trini keeps her small room clean, everything tucked onto shelves or in cubbies. Out of the way. But it’s run down. There are stains on the floor that Trini can’t seem to clean off. The walls are chipping in places. It’s comfortable, though, especially the pile of pillows heaped in the corner. Trini’s version of a bed.

“It’s not much, especially not to someone from the palace, but it’s mine.”

Amanda freezes. “How did you know I’m from the palace?”

“Your clothes are real fancy. Imported silk. So you’re either visiting or you’re from the palace. And I haven’t noticed any passenger ships lately.”

“You keep tabs on ships?”

“It’s hard not to.” Trini motions up the crumbling stairs that lead to her ‘balcony’. “Go see for yourself.”

Amanda wanders up the stairs, Trini a few steps behind. This is her favorite part of her home. She has a view of the entire city, and her balcony directly faces the harbor. Shining blue water stretches as far as she can see, small dots of white the only suggestion of boats. Trini loves it.

“It’s beautiful,” Amanda says.

Trini looks at Amanda. “Yeah, it’s quite a view.”

Abu leaps onto her shoulders, a date held in his tiny monkey fist. He chatters quietly, holding the fruit out to Amanda. She looks at it, perplexed. 

“He wants to know if you want anything to eat.” Trini laughs. “Abu is a better host than I am, sorry. We have dates and tea, if you want them.”

Amanda scratches Abu’s head. “I’ll take some tea. You enjoy the date, Abu.”

Trini leaves her to stare out over the city. As she prepares the tea, something in her pocket clinks. The bracelet. She’d forgotten to return it. She returns to Amanda’s side, offering the tea and the bracelet.

“Here you go. I forgot to give this back.”

“Thank you,” the relief is palpable in her voice. “It was my mother’s.”

Trini’s eyes track the hair clip, the bracelet, the rings, the necklace. Amanda must be something awful important to have such expensive jewels. 

“What do you do at the palace?”

“I’m handmaiden to the princess,” Amanda answers after a pause. “I go pretty much everywhere with her.”

Trini pretends to look around. “And yet she’s not here. Did you get a day off?”

Amanda laughs, full and loud and so so pretty. “Something like that.”

They lapse into silence, each staring out at the city. Amanda is the one to break the quiet contemplation. “Do you ever wish you could just,” she trails off, not knowing how to finish.

“Go?” Trini asks. “All the time.”

“There are so many expectations at the palace. People think they know what’s best for me, how my life should go.”

“So you want to escape from their idea of you,” Trini says, thinking of all the times ‘street rat’ has been spit at her.

“Exactly. I want,” Amanda sighs, deep and long. “I want to show them that I am  _ more.  _ That I can do more than what they think.”

“I’m a street urchin. I’ve lived on the street for as long as I can remember.” Trini’s not exactly sure why she’s sharing. She just wants to try to get the pensive look off of Amanda’s face. “Most people around here think I’m only good at stealing. They don’t bother to get to know me. To see that there’s more to me than street rat thief. That’s a long way of saying I know how you feel, I guess.” Trini rubs at the back of her neck, feeling her face flush. 

Out of the corner of her eye, Trini can see Amanda look at her, a soft smile on her face. “It’s nice to talk to someone who gets it.”

Trini notices a ship docking. It’s opulent, the sails a rich red and the paint along its hull fresh and yellow. It’s built differently than other ships that normally come to Agrabah. Trini would guess that it’s from a different kingdom.

“The palace has visitors,” Trini says. “Maybe a visiting prince for the princess.”

“What?” Amanda sounds almost panicked.

“The ship, there. It’s just begun docking, and it looks like it’s from another kingdom.”

“Oh no,” Amanda says. “ _ Shit.  _ I have to get back to the palace to get ready. I mean to help the princess get ready.”

Amanda gets up in a flurry of movement, rushing almost manically to the door. Trini follows her, pointing her down the alley and hiding the steps. She catches up to where Amanda rushes blindly through the crowds, grabbing her hand and leading her in the right direction. Soon they reach the road that leads to the palace, pushing their way through the crushing crowd. 

“Here we are,” Trini says. 

Amanda turns to her, expression open and thankful. “I appreciate you getting me out of trouble. I-” her expression closes off. She scoffs. “And I should have known.”

“W-what?”

“Once a thief, always a thief, right Trini?” she holds up a bare wrist, a wrist Trini  _ knew  _ had a bracelet on it not two minutes ago.

“No, Amanda, I didn’t-”

Amanda doesn’t give her the chance to explain, disappearing into the crowd before Trini can stop her. Abu climbs onto her shoulder, dropping something into her hand. It’s Amanda’s bracelet. Damn it. 

“Abu, there’s a time and place for stealing. And this? This wasn’t it.”


	2. I'm Under the Gun

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Trini meets Rita and learns that not everyone is who they say they are

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm trying to decide if I want to post once or twice a week, let me know what y'all prefer. so it would be either every tuesday or every tuesday and Saturday, I think.

That evening, Trini stands at the base of the castle walls, just out of sight of the guards. She holds the bracelet, tossing it back and forth in her hands. She needs to give it back. She’s not sure why she cares so much about what Amanda thinks of her, but Trini doesn’t want the handmaiden thinking she played her just to get the bracelet. 

So now she’s here. About to sneak into the heavily guarded palace so she can reach the even more heavily guarded princess’ room. Great. It’ll be great. It’s not like she’ll be put to death if she gets caught. That would be ridiculous. And also exactly what would happen.

It gets harder to breathe, each exhalation coming out in a short gasp. Her chest feels tight, her vision tunneling until all she can see is the sandstone brick right in front of her. 

A sharp pain spreads across her cheek and little hands grab her face and shakes her. Her eyes focus, her vision clearing a little. Abu is right in front of her, hands cupped around her cheeks.

“Did you just slap me?” she asks, voice slightly muffled because of the way Abu squishes her cheeks.

The monkey shrugs, climbing back onto her shoulder.

Trini’s breathing comes easier. She shakes out her hands, trying to stop them from trembling. After a few more deep breaths, she starts scaling the wall. The stone is rough, providing plenty of handholds. It’s easy to climb. She stops just below the top of the wall, pulling herself up just enough to see over the edge. There’s a guard approaching on the left and she ducks down out of sight. As soon as she hears his footsteps pass, she climbs onto the walkway, darting across and lowering herself silently down the other side. With a quick hop from the wall to a roof, Trini is able to move about the palace grounds while staying out of sight of the patrolling guards. 

When she reaches the palace itself, sneaking around becomes more difficult. She steals a bolt of fabric that’s been thrown over a chair and wraps it around herself in an effort to disguise her dirty clothing. She has Abu climb into her vest out of sight as she disguises herself.

If local gossip is to be believed, the princess lives in the west wing of the palace. Amanda should be there. She wanders through the halls, trying to look like she belongs. They really should add signs, this place is too large. 

She grabs a platter of figs and cheese so she looks like a servant with an errand. Some of the guards look at her strangely, but none stop her. It’s surprisingly easy to get to the princess’ door, and Trini isn’t sure if she should be worried or not.

She’s knocking on the door before she’s even considered what to say. Amanda answers the door and Trini’s mind goes blank. She looks softer than earlier, her clothes loose and comfortable. Still fancy, though. Amanda looks confused, her eyes tracking the tray and the clothing before landing on Trini’s face. The confusion turns to surprise the instant she meets Trini’s eyes. She pulls her into the room, hand fisting the front of Trini’s clothing. The door slams shut behind her, but Trini barely notices the sound, too entranced by the sight before her. The room is gorgeous, open and neat. There are pillows and blankets strewn across the multitude of couches around the room. A large table, covered in books and maps, sits at the threshold of the wide balcony. 

“How did you get in here?” Amanda asks.

“I have my ways.” Trini smirks, hoping it looks charming.

“Why are you wearing a curtain?”

That’s why she was getting weird looks. Why do palace curtains look like clothing?

Before Trini can say anything, she hears footsteps coming towards them. She tears the curtain off and drops it to the floor just as another woman walks into view. She must be the princess. Trini dips into a low bow. 

“Princess, I’m so sorry to disturb your evening. I was looking for Amanda.”

“I’m not-” the princess looks confused and Trini can feel Amanda moving around behind her. “I mean, yes. I am the princess. Hello. You aren’t disturbing me, don’t worry. I am going to go, um, bathe. Excuse me.” She darts back out of sight.

Are all royals that weird? “What was up with her?” Trini asks, turning towards Amanda. 

“She’s just not herself right now.” The notion seems to amuse Amanda, a small, secretive smile crossing her face for a moment. 

Amanda leads them further into the room. Or, well, she walks further in and Trini follows her. 

“What are you doing here?” Amanda’s words aren’t harsh per se, but they aren’t friendly either.

Before Trini can respond, a growl reverberates through the room. Trini turns slowly, coming face to face with a tiger. So that’s why there aren’t too many guards around the princess’ rooms. Who needs men when the princess owns a fucking  _ tiger.  _ The beast stands almost as tall as Trini, and stares at her with intelligent blue eyes. The tiger tilts its head; it seems like it’s studying Trini, sizing her up. Trini can feel her heartbeat echoing in her ears. She’s pretty sure it’s tame, why else would it be in the room, but at the same time it’s a tiger. It could eat her face off and no one would be able to stop it. After an eternity of growling and staring, the tiger paces closer and licks Trini in the face.

“Rajah likes you,” Amanda says. “That’s rare.”

“I’m just glad it decided not to eat me.” Trini watches carefully as the tiger wanders away, collapsing onto a pile of pillows and going to sleep. “I brought your bracelet back. Abu took it. Usually he sticks to stealing from people I want him too, but he  _ is  _ a monkey. He makes mistakes.”

Abu grunts from inside her jacket, cooing at Amanda as he pokes his head out to hand Trini the jewelry. Trini hands Amanda the bracelet, their fingers brushing together gently. Trini’s heart leaps in her chest. She watches as Amanda reverently puts it back on. She brushes a gentle hand over the metal, and Trini suddenly feels like she’s intruding.

“You said it was your mother’s?”

“Yeah. She died a few years ago, and the jewelry is one of the few things I have to remember her by.”

“Well then I’m glad I brought it back.”

“You risked being caught sneaking into the royal chambers just to bring this to me. Why? It’s valuable. If you had sold it you would’ve been set.” It doesn’t seem like Amanda expected Trini to sell the bracelet. Her observation seemed more logic based than anything.

Because you’re the first person to trust me, Trini wants to say. Because I want you to see me as  _ more.  _ “It’s important to you. I didn’t want you to be upset with me. I had a good time today and didn’t want this to ruin it.”

Amanda almost seems to be blushing. “I had a nice time too.”

Trini looks over to where the princess disappeared earlier, needing to look away from Amanda before she does something stupid. “I’m guessing that after today you won’t have free time for a while yet?”

“Yes,” Amanda sighs. “I’m not going to have a lot of time. We’re preparing for the harvest festival.”

“I want to see you again,” Trini says, stepping closer to Amanda.

Amanda looks at her through her lashes, a hand coming up to brush her hair out of her face. Trini longs to replace Amanda’s fingers with her own. “I’d like that.”

“I could come tomorrow night? Meet you in the garden?” Trini doesn’t want to risk creeping through the castle again. She got lucky once and she doesn’t want to tempt fate. 

“I’ll be waiting.”

Before she leaves, before she can stop herself, Trini pushes forward, kissing Amanda chastely on the lips. It doesn’t last long, but Trini is still off-balance when she pulls away. So much for not doing something stupid.

“See you tomorrow,” she whispers, and slips out the door.

She pockets the clip she slipped from silky black hair, a reason to come back.

* * *

Trini spins down the hallway, a goofy smile on her face. As she turns the corner, she looks up, coming face to face with a group of guards, their armor trimmed with green and gold.

“Ah, shit.”

The words are barely out of her mouth when a cloth presses against her face, the large hand it’s held in covering her mouth and nose. She struggles for a moment, managing to kick one of the guards square in the gut before her world starts to fade around the edges. The last thing she sees is a woman approaching, a sneer on her face as she stares down at Trini.

* * *

Trini groans, her eyes fluttering open. She squints against the brightness of the sun and looks around, trying to figure out where she is. She’s lying in the middle of the desert, the midday sun scorching down above her. Her mouth is dry and her muscles are sore. She doesn’t know how long she’s been out.

“Oh, good, you’re awake.” A woman sits down beside her, wrapped in deep green and gold robes.

“Who are you?” Trini asks, even though she knows. Rita, the Royal Vizier, is infamous. She’s the first woman to ever hold the position. People whisper about her, about her magical capabilities, about what she did to gain her station. Trini always brushed off the comments, figuring it was mostly posturing, a way to make men feel better about themselves. Here, though, staring into Rita’s unsettling blue eyes, Trini understands. This woman is dangerous. 

“I think a more appropriate question is who are  _ you.  _ You were, after all, caught coming out of the princess’ chambers. You even had a talk with the princess herself.”

“I was there for the handmaiden, Amanda. I was there to return her bracelet.”

Rita scoffs, the noise harsh. “The gold and turquoise one? Her mother’s?”

“Y-yes.”

“Foolish girl, those were the queen’s jewels. No  _ handmaiden  _ would be able to afford them.”

The brief thought of how Rita knows who she was talking to crosses her mind, but Trini brushes it away. Rita probably knows all sorts of things she shouldn’t.

Trini pulls the hairpin from her jacket, making sure to keep it hidden from Rita’s prying eyes. She turns it over and over in her hands, studying the delicate handiwork. As much as she doesn’t want to admit it, Rita has a point. So Amanda, no  _ Kimberly  _ the  _ princess,  _ had lied to her. Had she lied about everything or just who she was? What had been real? Who was the princess really? Did she mean for Trini to get caught?

The second that question enters her mind, Trini dismisses it. So maybe Kimberly had lied about her name and who she was. She’s the fucking princess. If Trini had been in her shoes, she would have lied about who she was too.

“Now, street rat, I need something from you. Do you know what the punishment for being caught sneaking into the palace is?”

Trini, bristling from being called street rat, snarks, “A firm slap on the wrist?”

“Life imprisonment, if you’re lucky.” Rita pretends to examine her talon-like fingernails. “If I’m lucky, you’ll be sentenced to death. I get lucky a lot. The sultan lets me deal with death sentences. I don’t think he realizes how many die screaming in agony.”

Rita moves, quicker than she should be able to. She hauls Trini off the ground, holding her aloft with a hand on her jaw. Trini can feel her nails digging into the soft skin of her face and she winces, trying to squirm away but knowing that it’s futile. 

“Would you like that, thief? I would take my time with you. I’ve killed street rats before, it always takes so much to make them scream. I  _ love  _ it.” Rita drops her, and Trini tries scrambling away. She’s caught, a glowing green energy surrounding her and holding her still. “Not so fast, DiDi. I can get you out of your punishment, all you need to do is help me with something.”

“I’ll do it. Whatever it is, I’ll do it.”

Rita smiles. Her teeth are capped in gold and the smile reminds Trini more of Rajah than anything human. “Good.” 

She tosses a sack, a  _ wiggling  _ sack, at Trini’s feet as she walks away. A very disgruntled Abu emerges moments later, smiling when he sees her and clambering onto her shoulder. 

* * *

Rita leads their little caravan towards a cliff. There’s a weirdly shaped dune at its base that Rita seems particularly focused on. Trini doesn’t think it looks like anything special. Once they are close, Rita fishes through her robes and pulls out two small pieces of gold. Trini leans over, close enough to see what Rita holds while still managing to stay away from the vizier herself. She has two halves of a scarab beetle, small ruby eyes gleaming in the sun. Rita joins them together and the metal starts to glow. Trini gasps, taking a step back. She hasn’t had much experience with magic, and from her time with Rita, she’s decided she’s not really a fan. 

The beetle comes to life in Rita’s hands, flying off towards the dune. It buries itself in the sand and the ground begins to shake, the dune moving and growing and slowly starting to form the head of a lion, its eyes glowing a menacing red. It’s mouth gapes open, forming a cave that seems to go into the cliff side.

Trini is officially done with magic. She doesn’t like it, it doesn’t seem to do good things, and she’d really like if everyone could refrain from doing it around her. She wants to run while Rita is focused on the lion dune, but guards surround them. Trini wouldn’t make it far. 

“Only one may enter here,” a voice says, coming from everywhere and nowhere all at once. “The diamond in the rough.”

“That’s you, thief.” Rita says, motioning her forward.

Abu shrinks lower on her shoulder, burying his face in her neck. Little fingernails dig into her skin as he whines. 

“I have to go in there?”

“Or you come back with me and we can handle your punishment at the castle. Bring me the lamp. Do not touch  _ anything  _ else. Nothing but the lamp.”

Rita shoves her forward. Trini stumbles into the mouth of the cave. The ground rumbles, but nothing happens. With a deep breath, Trini walks forward. 

She follows the path down. It’s cramped the ceiling low even by her standards. It’s cold in the cave, a huge drop in temperature from outside that makes Trini pull her vest closer to herself. A breeze almost like breathing rushes up from further inside. Soon, the soft sand gives way to rough rocks. Jewels and gold coins line the path, but Trini grabs Abu close and tries to ignore them. Abu still reaches out, trying to grab a large stone. Trini pulls him back, hissing a warning. She doesn’t know why it matters whether or not they touch anything, but Trini isn’t going to risk Rita’s wrath.

The path widens suddenly, opening into a cave that drips with so much gold it blinds Trini for a moment. Treasure stretches outward like a sea, like the view from her balcony during sunset. She’s never seen so much gold in one place. Her arms go slack in awe and Abu uses it as an opportunity to go explore. 

Trini walks deeper in, careful about where she steps. She’s not sure if ‘stepping on’ counts as ‘touching’ but she’s not willing to find out. A gem, startling yellow and gleaming like it’s calling to her catches her attention. She reaches for it, hand almost brushing the smooth surface when she remembers Rita’s warning. It’s as though the treasure is made to distract, put there to keep people away from the real prize.

The path cuts through the cavern, rough stone rising above the treasure-filled floor. A clear way through. At the end, a spire rises high into the cave. Atop it sits a golden oil lamp. It looks unremarkable, but Trini can feel some sort of power coming from it, even from this far away.

As she goes farther, movement catches her attention. It’s not Abu, like she expected it would be. A carpet, wiggling and pulling like it’s alive, is squashed between two stones. Trini leaps backwards, stumbling a little on the uneven ground. Carpets aren’t supposed to  _ move.  _ It turns towards her. Or Trini thinks it does. It doesn’t exactly have a face to show which way it’s looking. Cause it’s a  _ carpet.  _

Even so, Trini can tell it’s asking for help. 

She steps closer, pulling at the top stone while taking care to not touch the carpet itself. It freaks her out, and she’s not sure if it is part of the no touching rule. It takes her a few rough tugs before the stone budges enough to free the carpet. It flies -  _ flies -  _ in a loop around the room before landing in front of Trini. It stands on its back tassels like they’re feet. It bows. And Trini is still not feeling this magic shit. 

“Yeah, uh, you’re welcome and stuff,” Trini says, wanting to get out of the interaction as soon as possible. 

She spins around and races towards the spire. She wants out of this cave. She reaches the base and starts to climb. It’s pretty easy going compared to some of the things she’s had to climb. She still slips a few times, becoming sloppy in her haste to get to the top. 

The lamp glitters in the low light of the cavern. Like everything in the cave, it pulls at Trini, urging her to reach out and take. It’s stronger than the jewels, than the gold. The magic surrounding this lamp makes the hair on her arms stand on end. So she does what it wants, grabbing it from its pedestal and waiting for something to happen. There’s no ground-shaking, world-altering magic, and Trini breathes a sigh of relief. She tucks it into the sash around her waist and carefully climbs down. 

As soon as her feet touch the path, the room begins to quake. Panicking, Trini looks around her, trying to find the source. She sees Abu clutching a large gemstone to his chest. Behind him, in the distance, Trini can see the cavern starting to collapse.

“Goddamn it, Abu! Time and place, remember? Time and place,” she screams as she runs towards the exit.

Rocks and sand rain around her as she races away from the destruction. Abu jumps on her back, clutching at her vest. She gets closer, closer to the exit. She can see it, see Rita waiting at the entrance. The path drops out in front of her. She’s just below the mouth of the cave. Rita is waving her up.

Taking a deep breath, Trini gets a running start and launches herself across the gap left by the falling rocks. She slams against the opposite wall, barely managing to hang on. This wall is far smoother than the spire. There are fewer handholds and Trini’s progress is slow as she makes her way up. She climbs as far as she can, but she can’t reach the ledge.

“Help me!” she calls to Rita.

“Hand me the lamp. I’ll pull you up once I have it.”

And Trini knows she can’t trust Rita, knows that the woman doesn’t give a damn about her life. She looks behind her, and the collapse is getting closer. She doesn’t have a choice but to trust Rita. Trini grabs the lamp and thrusts it upwards, Abu scaling her arm as she does.

Rita grabs the lamp, the light reflecting off the metal turning her eyes golden for a moment. “Foolish girl,” she says, looking down at Trini.

She hefts her staff in her hand and swings it downward, the wicked curve of the top smacking solidly into Trini’s temple. 

Trini feels herself falling. Hears Abu screech in anger. Everything goes dark.


	3. I Wish I Could Breathe Without Getting It Stuck

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Trini learns that having a genie is actually pretty cool. Being friends with said genie? Even better.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So in this, and I think maybe in og aladdin, the genie exists in multiple time periods. So Zack is from modern times but his lamp is tethered to the cave of wonders and he is called to whatever time period the lamp is found in. He’s been a genie for 5,000 years but they're not linear years. 
> 
> (Also I'm gonna keep posting only on Tuesday, it works better with my schedule)

Tiny hands squish against Trini’s cheeks, soft noises coming from somewhere above her. Her head throbs and she frowns as she cracks her eyes open. Her vision is filled with Abu’s face, the little monkey leaning in as close as he can to check on her. 

“Abu?” Trini croaks. “Bud, you won’t believe the weird dream I had.” 

Abu pulls away and Trini groans. The carpet stands a few feet away, wringing its front tassels as though it’s worried. Trini wishes this whole thing had been a fever dream, but the magic carpet is real. Which means that so is everything else. Which means that Trini  _ should  _ be dead. 

She rolls onto her side, wanting to escape her reality for a while longer. The movement sends fire lancing through her skull, increasing the dull ache to almost unbearable pain for a moment. She grits her teeth against the pain, arching her back in an effort to escape the feeling. She lifts a hand to the back of her head. Her hair is wet and sticky and strangely gritty. The spot she touches is tender and she flinches away. Her fingers are coated with dark, half-dried blood and sand. 

“What happened? Why aren’t I dead?” She pushes herself into a sitting position so she can focus on Abu. 

Abu hoots and starts bouncing around, miming out the story. It takes longer than usual for her to parse out his meaning. All her thoughts seem slow as molasses and she has to ask him to repeat things so she can understand. Abu tells her that Carpet caught her after Rita left her for dead.

Or, if Trini wants to be honest with herself, after Rita attempted to murder her for a goddamn lamp. ‘Left for dead’ is a bit benevolent for what Rita did.

“Thank you,” Trini says.

Carpet waves her off. 

She buries her head in her hands, her voice coming out muffled. “That bitch used us to get the damn lamp and left us here. Fuck!”

Trini smacks the sand hard enough that her palm stings. She looks around. She’s still underground, in a section of the cave that managed not to collapse. It’s a small area, barely a fraction of the size of the cave before. Trini doesn’t know how far down she’s stuck, how long it would take to climb out. If that’s even possible. 

Abu tugs on her sleeve, pulling her attention away from their impending doom and looking very pleased with himself. With a flourish, he pulls out the lamp.

“You?” Trini’s almost speechless. “You sneaky bastard, you took it back. See, Abu. You do know the right time and place to steal.”

Time to find out what makes this lamp worth killing for. Trini takes it from him, eager to study it. The pull she felt earlier has calmed down, as though the lamp is content now that she has it. It almost hums in her hand, some sort of power emanating from it. The lamp is shiny, but it doesn’t look much different than any other oil lamp she’s seen at the bazaar. It’s only that  _ feeling  _ that makes it special. The lamp’s been polished until Trini can see her expression in it. There’s a smudge, a small scuff on the left side. It’s out of place on the otherwise spotless lamp. Trini rubs gently at the spot with her thumb. She can’t stop herself from trying to get it off. Something in her  _ needs _ to see the lamp clean, to rub until that part is just as spotless as the rest. 

The lamp jerks, almost leaping from her hands to land with a thump on the sand. It glows from the inside out. Great. More magic. Like Trini needs that. Smoke, black as charcoal, pours from the spout. It takes the shape of a man, shown from the torso up. Instead of legs, the thick smoke tethers him to the spout of the lamp. He’s pale, his eyes dark and almond shaped. His skin gives off a soft white light like an aura around him. He wears a strange shirt, tight with a vee in the neck. Golden bracelets glint on his wrists. Trini’s never seen anything like it.

“Woo,” he says, spinning around and doing a series of stretches. “Five thousand years will give you such a crick in the neck! Man, does it feel good to be outta there.”

“What the fuck,” Trini whispers. 

She scrambles backwards, away from whatever just came out of the lamp. It’s a genie. A djinn. Trini knows that. Every child in Agrabah knows the stories about the magical beings. Trini just didn’t think they were actually  _ real. _

The flying man seems to notice her for the first time. He flies closer, making Trini flinch, and shakes her hand.

“What’s up, Master?” He makes a motion with his free hand and a large glowing sign appears above him. Trini figures it says his name or something. It disappears too quickly for Trini to try to read. “I’m your genie. Let’s get to it. What do you want?”

The genie is still shaking her hand. Trini snatches it back and cradles it to her chest. “What? I don’t -”

“Oh, you’re like  _ new  _ new. Lemme explain.” Trini blinks and the genie is halfway across the room.

“I am the genie of the lamp.” He grows before her eyes, head almost brushing the ceiling. “You, as my master, get three wishes. No more than three, no wishing for more wishes, can’t go back on a wish, can’t try to get more specific after the fact.”

“So you can give me anything,” Trini says. This kind of magic she may end up liking.

“Well,” The genie waves his hand in a so-so motion. “I got some rules. One, I do not kill anybody. Hire Deadpool and do it that way. Two, I ain’t gonna make anyone fall in love with you. This isn’t Princess Bride I cannot ‘as you wish’ you into having a girlfriend. And three, no bringing people back from the dead. It gets all Walking Dead up in here and it’s just not good for anyone.”

Trini understood about half of what he said. She thinks she understands what’s important, so she doesn’t ask what a Deadpool is or who the Walking Dead are. She doesn’t respond to what he says beyond nodding, trying to process everything.

Three wishes. Two if she wishes them out of the cave. What she needs to do is figure out how to get them out without using one. She studies the genie. He’s gotten bored of waiting for her to do something, it seems. He’s doing small tricks for Abu and Carpet. His chest puffs slightly every time they applaud him. The more they seem into the tricks, the more elaborate they get. Trini smiles, knowing exactly how to get them out.

“So, genie,” Trini says. He flies over, a set of disembodied hands staying behind to finish whatever trick he’s doing for Abu and Carpet. “From what I understand, you do party tricks? Like sleight of hand stuff?” She puts on a blank, confused look. 

“Par-party tricks?” Behind him, the hands drop the cards they were expertly shuffling. “I am a genie. Phenomenal cosmic power and all that?”

Trini scoffs to cover her growing laugh. “You’re a dude trapped in a lamp trapped in a cave doing tricks for a monkey and a flying carpet. I’m not seeing any sign of crazy power. Honestly, Carpet seems more powerful than you.” Trini doesn’t mention the floating hands or the giant sign or the growing. “I’m calling bullshit. You probably can’t even get us out of this cave.”

“Oh so new girl thinks I’m all talk, huh? Watch this. After I grant your wish, you won’t be doubting me anymore.”

She’s not doubting him now, not that he needs to know.

The genie claps, his eyes filled with a smug light as he exercises his powers. A small cart on a track appears, the track leading up through the ceiling.

“All aboard the coal mine express!”

“That thing doesn’t look safe.”

Trini studies the cart. It’s rusted and old, the wood sections rotted through in places. 

“It’s for the aesthetic. A mine cart can’t look  _ nice. _ ” Trini will have to take his word for it. “Plus, genie magic won’t let you fall. Now get in so we can get outta here.”

Trini eyes the genie but climbs in. It’s not like she has any other choice. The cart is sturdy, even the rotted parts don’t give as Trini pushes at them. Abu and Carpet climb in with her. Once they’re all settled, the cart rolls forward, gaining speed as it does. Trini closes her eyes, stomach twisting unpleasantly. 

She feels warm sunlight on her back, the deep warmth of sand on the bottoms of her feet. She opens her eyes. They’re in the middle of the desert, no longer trapped underground. There’s no sign of Rita or any of her guards. 

Honestly she can’t believe it worked. 

The genie waits a few steps away, lounging in the middle of an oasis. “How’s that for power?”

“Not too shabby.”

“What else do you want? How’re you going to use your last two wishes?”

“Two? I’ve got three,” Trini says with a smirk.

“Three?” the genie sits up. “You have two. I got you out of the cave.”

“I never said I wish, and I never touched the lamp. So, three.”

The genie thinks for a moment. “Well, shit. You managed to out loophole a genie. You’re impressive, Crazy Girl, I’ll give you that. I’m not falling for it again, though.”

“Once was all I needed.”

* * *

They’ve settled onto the soft grass in the oasis the genie created. Trini’s enjoying the shade, letting herself doze as she leans against a tree trunk. Abu and Carpet are off somewhere fooling around. Trini can hear Abu’s noises that she knows means he’s happy. Genie is sitting on a chair next to her, a weird coconut drink with a tiny umbrella clutched in his hand. 

He breaks the peaceful silence. “So, what do you want?”

Trini’s stumped. She’s grown up on the street. Most of her ‘wants’ are food and shelter and the like. Nothing worth wasting a wish on. Maybe respect, but she doesn’t want to know what will happen to her if she asks the genie to make people respect her. People respect Rita, but it’s out of fear. Trini doesn’t want that. Anything else she ends up wanting, she doesn’t think the genie can give her. Less out of his ability, and more out of her not knowing how to ask.

She could wish for her life to turn out differently. She could wish for a mountain of money. She could wish for friends. She’s not sure if it would be worth it, if she wouldn’t wonder what her life would have been like if she never asked. And as the genie said, there’s no going back on wishes.

What does she - Kimberly. She wants to be with Kimberly. She digs her hands into the soft, warm sand under the grass as she thinks about her soft lips pressing against Trini’s, of the blush high on her cheeks as Trini pulled away. The smile when she looked out over her city from Trini’s balcony, sitting there like she  _ belonged.  _

“There’s this girl,” she starts.

“Oh I love stories like this.” The genie zips out of his chair, laying on his stomach with his feet waving gently in the air as he stares at her, eyes little hearts. “Just remember, I can’t make her fall in love with you.”

“No, I know that. If she falls for me I want it to be real. She’s a princess though. And princesses can only marry royalty.”

And, generally speaking, men.

Trini can’t help the way her voice falls, the helplessness she feels thinking about those laws and Kimberly’s smile as she said “tomorrow” and how Trini missed that tomorrow and she ruined her chance at even being friends with Kim and she just wants so much  _ more.  _

“Hey,” the genie says, soft but enough to get her attention.”You’re spiralling a bit, Crazy Girl. Focus.”

The genie flicks out of sight only to reappear next to her. Their shoulders brush and he wraps his arms around his legs, resting his chin on his knees. “So what do you want?” he asks softly. 

Trini knows she has to be careful with her wording, has to be direct with what she wants. But she doesn’t know. Doesn’t know how to phrase it when all she wants is  _ Kim,  _ in any way she can. She needs time to think. 

So she stalls. “What’s your name? Because I keep calling you genie in my head but you’re like really fucking old, right? You’ve gotta have a name. Mine’s Trini.”

The genie looks almost confused. “No one’s ever really asked that. Usually the only thing they care about is ‘oh, genie, make me the richest man alive’ or ‘oh genie, make me an awesome warrior’. I’m a tool to be used. Not a person. Not someone worth knowing.” Trini knows that feeling. “When I was alive, I went by Zack.”

“When you were alive?” Trini had been under the impression that genies had always been, well, genies.

“Some genies come into being as genies, they’ve never known anything else. I used to be a person.” Zack deflates slightly, fidgeting with the edge of his shirt.

“Zack,” Trini tries out the name. It’s awkward, unfamiliar. “That’s a weird name. For like a genie. I expected something more regal.”

Zack shrugs. “It’s familiar. Anyways, it’s not like Trini is any better.”

“...That’s fair.” Trini leans back, settling further against the trunk and still not sure how to phrase her wish. “What would you wish for?”

“What?” 

“If you had a wish. What would you want?”

“You are very strange, Trini,” Zack says, a look so serious on his face that it looks almost wrong. “I see why you were allowed into the Cave of Wonders.”

“What do you mean?”

“Nothing. I’m just thinking out loud. Ignore me.” He focuses back on her question. “I guess I would wish to be human.”

“Why?” Trini would rather be a genie. “You’re all powerful. Why give that up?”

Zack smiles. It’s not his usual quirky, lighthearted one; there’s a deep pain behind it that makes Trini’s chest ache.

“I’ve been like this a long time, Trin. I’m lonely. I miss being free to just live. And even unlimited power gets old if you have it long enough. There’s something satisfying about working for things. Getting something isn’t the same if all you have to do is snap and it appears.”

“But what happens when you work for something and fail? Or if people look at you, your work, and cast it aside? What if they think it’s not enough?” Trini can’t stop the questions from tumbling out of her, can’t hold herself back from voicing her fears.

“Then at least you tried. You can’t make people care or like your work. So you find the people who do. And you find pride in your work because you  _ tried,  _ because you wanted something and you made it happen despite it being hard.”

Zack snaps and a marble statue appears, a flawless image of a strong man posing. 

“I made that. But I don’t love it, don’t value it because it took a second to make. I’d like it more if I had carved it from a slab of marble.” 

Trini gets what he’s saying. She still would enjoy unlimited power. “How’d you get turned into a genie anyways?”

“I got into some trouble after I lost someone close to me. One thing lead to another and before I knew it, I was bound to a lamp and forced to give greedy bastards their every wish. For five thousand years I’ve had time to reflect on my mistakes. And all I want now is to be human. Go back home. Be happy.”

The longing in his voice is so palpable Trini feels like she can pluck it out of the air. She likes Zack. He’s a proud troublemaker, but Trini can tell he’s a good guy. No matter what he did to deserve being turned into a genie. 

“That’ll be my third wish.”

Zack had been lying on his side, head cradled in one arm while he doodled in the sand with the other. When he hears what she said, he startles, arms going slack, his face slapping against the sand. “You-”

“I’ll wish for you to be a human. I don’t need all three wishes, and you deserve to be happy, Zack.”

She isn’t expecting him to tackle her into a strong hug. She giggles, patting his back a few times before shoving him off. 

“You’re crazy. But thank you. Thank you so much.”

They sit side by side in silence, Trini pretending not to notice as Zack wipes his eyes and takes a few deep breaths. Abu is off playing with Carpet, and she watches them build sand castles for a few minutes. She thinks of her wish. Maybe she should just ask for what she wants. Simple and straightforward and easy. Genies are notorious for being tricksters when wishes aren’t worded right, but Trini thinks she can trust Zack, put her wish, however vague it is, in his hands and be happy with whatever he comes up with.

“I think I know what I want.”

“Alright. Tell me what you need, crazy girl.”

Trini grabs the lamp, rubbing it gently. “I wish I could be someone who could be with Princess Kimberly. With no repercussions.”

Zack looks at her, eyes soft and Trini knows she was right to trust him. “I can do that.”

After a moment of stillness, Zack bounds up, his energy from the cave restored. He waves a hand in the air, and she lifts from the ground, yelping in surprise as he waves her closer. He’s muttering to himself, sending pulses of magic towards her every so often. She can feel things changing, but nothing lasts long enough for her to see exactly what Zack is doing to her.

“Almost got it,” he whispers, sending a deep yellow cloud of magic her way. “Perfect.” 

Zack snaps his fingers and she’s lowered slowly to the ground, a mirror appearing in front of her. She stares at the reflection. It’s her, but not. She wears masculine clothing tailored perfectly to her, made from expensive fabric that’s just a bit stiff and heavy. It drapes opulently over her figure, it makes her look important. She leans closer. There’s some sort of shimmer over her face. She raises a hand to her cheek, but doesn’t feel anything. Or, she doesn’t feel the sparkles. Her face feels different, the planes of it harsher, more squared off. She swears that for a second she feels stubble.

“The sparkle?” Zack asks. “It’s part of the glamour. Here’s what everyone else sees.”

The image in the mirror shimmers. Trini can’t keep herself from gasping when she sees her reflection. Her face is slimmer, no stubborn baby fat clinging to her cheeks. Stubble dots her jaw, making the cut of her square jawline more pronounced. It makes her look rugged. Her hair is short, shaved close on the sides and longer on top, brushed away from her face in controlled waves. Her shoulders are broader. She looks like herself, but more manly and it finally clicks with Trini what Zack has done.

“I’m a prince,” she whispers. 

* * *

Zack takes them to the outskirts of the city. “Now we need a proper entrance,” he says, pacing in front of her. “We can’t just be showing up all borin’ and quiet. We need pizzaz! A show! We’ve gotta make an impression on your girl.”

Trini’s not exactly sure if anything Zack comes up with is going to leave a  _ good  _ impression on Kim. She doesn’t seem to into flashy things. She‘s more interested in books, in caring for her people if Trini had to guess from her stint with the bread in the bazaar. Still, Trini doesn’t really know a lot about royalty, and if Zack is to be believed, he’s been around a lot of it. He hasn’t steered her wrong yet, so she’ll trust him.

“What am I going to need to do?” Trini asks.

“Just sit there and look pretty. Wave, maybe toss some money. Don’t worry, I’ve got the rest.”

The genie cracks his knuckles, looking around like he’s searching for inspiration, not that there’s much of anything around them. It’s mostly just sand, sand, and more sand. Wait, what’s that over there? Fucking sand. Zack must see something he likes, though, because he exclaims in excitement and wiggles his fingers.

Abu starts to lift off her shoulder. The little monkey squeaks in alarm, scrambling for something to hold on to and ending up just looking like he’s swimming through the air.

“You need a steed,” Zack tells her, and black smoke rushes at Abu. 

It swirls around him in a dizzying vortex. Trini watches as Abu starts to change. His limbs elongate, becoming thicker as his paws turn into hooves. His soft brown fur goes gray and coarse, growing patchy white over his face. Abu’s face starts to change too. It elongates and suddenly Trini is looking at a donkey. The whole process makes Trini feel sick. She’s happy she didn’t change that much, can’t imagine what it might feel like. 

The donkey looks at her and brays uneasily in a manner that is still somehow familiar. 

“Does it hurt?” Trini asks, ready to stop Zack if Abu is being harmed at all.

“No, the process is painless, just weird to watch. Don’t worry, I wouldn’t hurt him.”

Zack studies Abu before grunting in disapproval and the process starts over. Abu turns into a horse, a zebra, some sort of animal with spots and an extremely long neck. Zack is apparently going all out for her ‘steed’. Finally, Zack exclaims in triumph, and one more blast of magic envelops Abu. This time, she can’t see what change is happening. The smoke is too thick. When it clears, Trini is face to face with a large elephant, a familiar looking fez perched on top of his head. 

“Now  _ that’s  _ what I’m talking about,” Zack crows. “Now to get the rest of your entourage ready.”

Trini almost doesn’t want to know.

* * *

The parade is...a bit much. It’s noisy and busy and colorful and Trini knows that it will attract all sorts of attention. Usually attention isn’t something Trini wants, and she finds herself trying to shrink lower on Abu’s back. 

As the city becomes clearer, closer, Trini has a thought. “Hey, um, Zack?” she calls. It takes a few tries to get his attention over the din of the parade.

“Yeah, Crazy Girl?”

“How are we going to introduce me? We can’t really say, ‘Oh here comes Prince Trini,’ like that’s a girl’s name. And Kim would know it’s me. And it sounds dumb.”

“You don’t want her to know it’s you?”

“Not really.” Kim deserves a prince, so that’s what Trini will give her.

Zack narrows his eyes at her, the corner of his mouth lowering into a slight frown. “Alright. Then you do need a name.” 

Zack taps his chin. “Well, you’re...a lad...in...um, wait! That’s brilliant! Prince Aladdin!”

“You’re an idiot,” Trini says, glaring at him.

“Well do you have a better idea?” Trini stays quiet. “I didn’t think so. Prince Aladdin from-” He trails off, his words lost in the desert wind.

“What did you say? Where am I from?”

“I said you’re Prince Aladdin from ablahblah.”

“Ababwa? What is that?” It doesn’t sound like a real place, but Trini’s never left Agrabah. Never heard of many places outside of the city.

“Sure! It’s a country. That you’re from. Don’t worry it won’t matter. Let’s go!”

* * *

She's right to think that all eyes would be on her once they enter the city. There are tons of people crowding the streets, vying for her attention. She’s on an  _ elephant  _ for sultan’s sake. An elephant who is also her pet monkey. It’s been a weird day.

So she sits stiffly, waving at people every so often but mostly focused on keeping the smile on her face. She just hopes it looks less awkward than it feels. She wonders what people see, what they make of Prince Aladdin. Do they think he’s nice? Worthy of their princess? What if she seems like a douchebag?

She stares out at the crowd, looking at the kind of reception she’s getting. They look like they love her. Him? It doesn’t matter. What matters is the adoration on people’s faces as they look up at her. They way they chant her name - his name - as she goes by. They look at her like she’s worth something. Like she’s more than an orphan who lives on the street. There’s no sign of the usual disdain and mistrust she’s normally faced with. 

They love the parade, the elephant,  _ her.  _

And she sinks into her role, starts tossing coin into the crowd, blows kisses, revels in the adoration she didn’t really know she craved. 

Zack looks like he’s in his element too, zipping from place to place, riling up the crowd. This parade is his creation, all magical and bright and fun. She doesn’t know how long it’s been since he’s had a ‘master’ but she can tell he’s enjoying having an audience.

They reach the wall of the palace. Trini sees the sultan, and Kim’s handmaiden. Trini is disappointed that Kim isn’t there, but everyone else looks impressed, so maybe Kim is just getting ready. She doesn't hate Prince Aladdin, she just wants to make a good impression. 

Trini acts like she believes herself. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Kim will be in the next chapter!
> 
> I added chapter titles. They're all from the song All to Myself by Marianas Trench (so is the title)


	4. This isn't What I Wanted But I Can't Keep my Filthy Fucking Mouth Shut

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Trini tries to impress Kim. It doesn’t go well, but at least Zack is having fun.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Forgot to mention this, but the only thing Zack changed physically about Trini is her face and her voice. Think of it as a really realistic snapchat filter idk bro...

They’re taken to the throne room to wait. Trini’s head swivels from side to side as they’re led through the winding halls. When she snuck in before, she wasn’t exactly paying much attention beyond which turns she should take to reach Kim. Now, though, she’s allowed to look. The palace is beautiful, potted plants and large tapestries line the halls, piles of incense scent the air. It makes Zack sneeze and Trini loves it even more.

The guards let them into the throne room and Trini is almost shaking, her adrenaline still high from the procession. The smile that was so stiff when they entered the city is real and huge and making her cheeks hurt. But it fades as one minute of waiting turns to five turns to ten. The sultan enters, greeting them before standing off to the side to converse with Rita. The sight of her has Trini shaking for a different reason, and Trini longs for a distraction from the green-clad vizier studying her from the corner. 

“Where are they?” she hisses at Zack, rocking back and forth on her heels. 

“They’ll show up. Stop fidgeting.” 

Trini tries, but she can’t stop moving. She’s about to see Kim again, as someone who can be her equal, someone worthy of her time. She’s going to be seeing Kim as a potential  _ suitor _ . Trini starts twitching even more, bouncing her fingers along the hemline that runs up the side of her pants.

It isn’t until the door at the back of the room opens that Trini goes still. The sight of Kim emerging from the doorway has Trini freezing in place, her mind going blank except for thoughts of Kim. 

The princess looks beautiful, draped in orange and yellow. She has her mother’s jewelry on, with the addition of a small crown-like circlet on her brow. The final piece of the set sits heavy in Trini’s pocket, warm against her leg. What would she do if Trini approached her, slid the clip into her long hair, let her hand linger against her cheek? Trini’s fingers twitch and blood rushes to her cheeks. 

Kim makes it down the stairs and she’s right there and beautiful and graceful as she stands by her father. Trini’s talking now, about their gifts or something else unimportant and Zack keeps nudging her and saying things but all Trini can think is Kimberly Kimberly Kimberly. And then  _ she’s  _ talking, that melodic voice asking “What do you want-” and all Trini can say is “you” before the rest of the question registers and  _ fuck  _ she’s ruined everything before she’s really started. Because Kim’s face was polite and open and now it’s cold and hard and her eyebrow raises which makes Trini’s knees go just a bit weak and even the sultan looks kind of uncomfortable. And Trini has to fix this somehow so she blurts out “A moment! I want to buy a moment with you.” Even though Trini just spent a minute or three talking about jam, she’s pretty sure that recovery is the dumbest thing she’s ever said. And Kimberly looks equally unimpressed.

Her head tilts and sultan’s sake why is this woman so attractive all the time, even when she’s annoyed and about to  _ destroy  _ Trini. “Are you suggesting I’m for sale?” 

Trini really wants Kim to like her. Or like Aladdin, cause he’s who really matters right now. This whole dual identity is getting confusing. But she agrees with Kimberly because people like it when you agree with them. And she answers too fast again, her mouth moving before her brain can process the whole question. She leaves an awkward pause between “of course” and “not” and Trini could really use another magical cave to appear and swallow her whole. Or maybe Rita could knock her out again; the woman would probably enjoy it.

Abu, back in monkey form and chattering angrily, leaps onto her shoulder and smacks her upside the head. Trini kind of wishes he could hit harder, hard enough to make her forget this experience ever happened. For a split second, Trini thinks she sees Kim narrow her eyes at Abu, as though she recognizes him. But that’s impossible, Abu has fancy monkey clothes on.

“This is my monkey Ab-um,” shit Abu needs a name. “Ali. His name is Ali.”

Kim snorts. Rolls her eyes. Crushes Trini’s heart just a bit. “I have to go. Eat some bread.”

Amanda makes a comment about wanting some jam before Kimberly nods at them all, sweeping from the chamber. Trini looks over at Zack, panicking, only to see his eyes fixed on Kim’s guard as he follows her from the room. 

“You can talk to her more at the festival tomorrow. Try to get yourself together before then,” the sultan drawls, leaving as well. 

Trini can’t tell if he was angry at her or if he wanted to laugh. Honestly, she’s not sure which would be better.

Once they’re alone in the throne room, Trini turns to Zack. “Were you ogling the princess’s guard?”

“No!” he says, guilt quick.

“I know you’re lying.” Trini knows what he looks like, barely. She was a bit too preoccupied with Kim to even care who was with her. “I mean, he’s cute, if you’re into that sort of thing. And by that I mean men.”

“Shut up.”

Zack shoves lightly at her shoulder. Trini overreacts, falling, her feet waving dramatically in the air before thumbing against the floor.

“Prince down! Prince down!”

“Get up and stop acting like a dumbass,” Zack chuckles.

Trini goes limp, staring up at Zack forlornly. “Hey, I just bombed my chances with Kimberly. I have to get my kicks from somewhere.”

A door opens behind them, the noise causing Trini to spring upright, brushing at her clothes and trying to act like she wasn’t just on the floor. 

* * *

Two amused looking guards lead them to the east wing, where the guest quarters are. Their rooms are nice, reminiscent of Kim’s but not quite as fancy or lived in. It doesn’t make much of a difference to Trini, who’s never really stayed anywhere with a real bed, never dreamed of being anywhere close to the palace. She enjoys the black and yellow theme of the room, the black sofa, the yellow bedcover. The soothing colors help her stop stressing as much about what happened in the throne room. Help her stop hating herself. 

Zack throws himself onto the sofa. “Y’know,” He says, conversational and unassuming and Trini can already tell she’s not going to like whatever he has to say. “I’ve been alive for five thousand years, give or take a millennia. I live in a  _ lamp _ . And that was the most painful thing I’ve ever experienced.”

“Stop it, Zack,” Trini says from where she explores the large bathing area. 

“You said you wanted to buy her, Trini.”

“I  _ know.”  _ She had been there. Has been reliving each painful moment since it happened. 

“Trini. You said-”

Trini walks to the couch. “I get it, Zack.”

“But Trini - hey!”

He rolls out of the way of her first punch. The second one  _ should have  _ hit, but instead of impacting flesh, her fist goes right through his arm. Cheater. 

“Stop turning non-corporeal when I try to punch you.”

“Stop trying to punch me!”

Zack races around the room, Trini giving chase until they both collapse on the floor, laughing too hard to keep running.

* * *

“I need your help,” Trini says the next morning as they wander through the royal gardens. 

“Yes, generally that’s what I’m here for,” Zack says, running his hand over the vibrant red petals of a flower. 

“Not with a wish thing, really.” Trini thinks of the awkwardness from yesterday and twists her hands together. “I need a crash course on royalty? I talk like I’m a street rat. I act like a street rat. I need to be a prince.”

Zack hums. “I don’t like that phrase. Street rat. What’s wrong with rats? I mean they did cause a plague so that sucks but otherwise they’re cute. And you’re still a person. Not a rat at all. You just can’t afford basic necessities which is more of a failing of your city than you.”

“Rats caused a what?!”

“Don’t worry, it didn’t happen here.”

Still not comforting, Zack. 

“But sure, I can help you out. I’ve got tons of practice.”

“Can we do it by tonight?”

“I can set the foundation by tonight.” Zack slings an arm around Trini’s shoulders. “You’re charming all on your own, Crazy Girl. Don’t sweat it. Be yourself, tell Kim the truth, and everything will be fine.”

Trini jerks away. “Tell her? Are you insane? I need her to think I’m a prince, someone worthy of her time.”

“But you’re lying to her.” 

“I- It- It’ll be fine.” Trini stomps out of the garden. “Now, are you going to teach me how to be royal or not?”

* * *

Zack rushes them back to the room. “I learned about royalty from the master,” he says, pushing the furniture against the wall of the sitting room so there’s room to move around. “Her name is Julie Andrews. There’s no one more regal than her on the planet. Don’t worry, Trini, you’ll be a royal in no time.”

Zack has lunch brought to the room, and with a wave of his hand, Trini finds herself partially tied to a chair in the dining area. Her torso is strapped down by fancy looking scarves, only her arms left free to move.

“What is this?” she grumbles, trying to move.

“This is the start of your lessons! You can’t just hunch over your plate like someone is going to steal your food. So, the scarves will train you to sit properly.”

Zack digs into his meal, enjoying every bite and definitely slouching over his plate. Trini pouts and tries to eat. Not being able to move her mouth towards the fork, Trini drops quite a few morsels on her shirt.

“I hate this,” Trini says, daal dripping down her chin. 

“I don’t!” Zack pulls a strange metal rectangle from thin air and points it at her. Something flashes on the back of the rectangle and Zack studies the other side before sending it back to wherever he grabbed it from. “I think it’s great.”

Trini manages to finish her food, and she’s freed from her ties. Zack magics up another chair and zips them both into the sitting room, Trini looking in confusion at the perfectly good seat not ten feet away.

“Next lesson is sitting.” Zack positions himself so he sits with his legs crossed, one over the other. “Don’t sit like this. If you’re gonna cross your legs, just cross them at the ankles. And sit up - wait.” 

He goes still and quiet, thinking for a moment. “This is just for princesses. Forget this bit. Moving on!” 

The chairs disappear and Trini lands on her ass on the hard floor. “A little warning next time, Zack.” 

“You’re fine. C’mon, you’ve gotta learn to walk.”

Trini gets the feeling that Zack doesn’t actually know what he’s talking about. She doesn’t know who Julie Andrews is, but her methods are suspect and she may have been tricking Zack when she showed him these ‘lessons’.

Zack puts on a posh accent. He sounds like an idiot. “When walking in a crowd, one is under scrutiny all the time.”

He walks from one end of the room to the other, back straight as a board. His posture is still relaxed, and Trini can almost see how the walking style could help someone seem important. She follows him, attempting to mimic his movements. She’s only halfway across the room when Zack starts shaking his head at her. 

“We do not shlump like this.”

Zack hunches his shoulders and stomps towards her. 

“That’s not how I walk!”

“It may as well be. You’ve gotta present yourself as practically perfect in every way or else all anyone will see are your flaws.”

Trini stands up as straight as possible. She doesn’t want anyone to see her for who she really is. If she’s going to pull this off, she’ll need to be Aladdin the Prince, not just Aladdin the street rat in disguise. 

Maybe then Kim will like her. 

“Let’s do this.”

* * *

Trini stands in line to enter the harvest celebration, fiddling with the delicate design on her sleeve. Zack had given her an outfit comprised of a pale cream shirt with a golden tiger and flower designs paired with tailored but loose-fitting teal pants. She loves the clothes, and they’re comfortable, but they aren’t  _ her.  _ She guesses that’s the point, to wear things that she’s not comfortable in. Aladdin needs to have his own style, or at least he needs to wear whatever fits Zack’s idea of what a prince should be. That doesn’t mean Trini doesn’t miss her vest or her loose linen shirt and pants. 

She’s in line behind a couple who look like real royalty. They exude grace, look regal without trying, and make Trini feel like a child playing dress up. More than she already does, that is. They probably didn’t have to take royalty lessons to learn to walk. 

“Ok, I’m leaving.”

Trini turns, ready to head back to the room when Zack catches her by the shoulders, facing her forwards once more. He doesn’t let go, keeping her from running.

“Nope, you’re going to talk to your girl and I’m gonna get my party on. Do not stop me from enjoying this, got it?”

Trini lets him lead her through the line, keeping a hand on her shoulder. It doesn’t take long for them to reach the entrance. Beside the door stands a familiar figure decked in green and gold. Trini tenses, fear gripping her.  _ Help me  _ and  _ hand me the lamp  _ and  _ foolish girl  _ and  _ falling.  _ Trini jerks in Zack’s hold, instinctively trying to get away. Earlier, thoughts of Kim acted as a buffer, giving Trini something to focus on other than Rita. That doesn’t help now and all Trini wants to do is leave. Zack squeezes her shoulder, a silent question. She lets out a gasp and breathes in and approaches Rita. She doesn’t know Aladdin, doesn’t know that Trini managed to escape. She’s safe and Zack is here and she’s Aladdin. Not Trini, but a rich prince who  _ matters.  _ Who will be missed if she goes missing. She’s safe. 

“Ah, Prince Aladdin,” Rita says, voice smooth. “Welcome.”

“Good evening,” Trini replies, voice coming out stable somehow. “You are the grand vizier, yes?”

“Rita, at your service.” She dips her head. Not quite a bow, but enough of an acknowledgement to not be called rude. “I know who you are, Prince Aladdin.”

Trini freezes, all the fear she pressed down behind the facade of Aladdin rushing through her body. “You do?”

“But of course. You are like me. You are hungry for power.” A little tension bleeds from Trini’s shoulders. “We could help each other.

And the tension is back. Trini knows exactly how Rita treats those she chooses to help her. She escaped death once, who knows if she’ll be able to pull it off again. 

“I don’t know,” she says, her unease apparent in the wobble of her voice.

Rita leans forward, her golden staff glinting in the fire light. “You know it would be a good idea for use to work together.”

Maybe Rita is right. She’s close to the sultan, she could get Trini an in with Kimberly. Rita just wants to-

“Alright, well, it was nice to meet you but we really must join the party.”

Zack pulls her away and it feels like a fog lifts from her mind.

Before she turns to the party, Trini notices an annoyed expression flit across Rita’s face. Zack takes her to a quiet section of the room. 

“Are you okay? You had a weird reaction to that Rita lady. And, um, and she gives me a weird feeling.” It’s weird to see him look so serious. Trini kind of hates it.

“She is the one who sent me to find you. She left me for dead. Pretty much tried to kill me. So yeah, she probably should give you a weird feeling.”

“I got your back, Crazy Girl.” Zack looks at her, scanning her face to make sure she’s alright.

An upbeat song filters towards them, and Zack must have found what he was looking for in the expression on her face because he stands up with a large smile. “Now, time to party!”

* * *

Kim looks even better tonight than she had during their disastrous ‘first’ meeting. Her outfit is bright blue and golden, a crown resting on her head. Gauzy light fabric drapes from the crown down her back in a loose train. But Trini thinks of Kim, flushed and happy and winded after running from the guards and knows she’s never seen anything more beautiful than that, even now. 

Trini blushes when she realizes their outfits complement each other. Trini stands in the corner, watching the princess move easily through the guests. Her royal charm is out in full force, and Trini finds herself smiling as she watches Kim in her element. Every so often, Kimberly glances over at her, catching her staring. Without fail, Kim’s amused glances make Trini flush and look away. Also without fail, Trini’s back to staring within a minute of being caught. 

Zack pops up next to her. She startles, falling sideways off the ledge she had been sitting on with an undignified yelp. Zack catches her just before she hits the ground, and she does not look towards Kim, not wanting to see if she saw Trini almost eat shit.

“You’re killing my party vibes. Stop staring longingly at your love interest and moping. Go talk to her. Dance. Do something  _ please. _ ”

“You just want to do something to her guard,” Trini says, hackles rising but still trying to be nice. She doesn’t like being told what to do. 

“No, well, yes, but I also don’t want my awesome genie work to go to waste. We’re here to get you with Kimmy over there, so come on.”

And Trini knows he doesn’t mean anything by it, that he’s trying to help and just doing it in the most  _ Zack  _ way possible, but- “You follow my instructions. Not the other way around. Just go.”

Zack pulls back, surprise all over his face. She can tell she hurt him, but he covers it quickly. Her chest pangs, and she wants to apologize, but can’t bring herself to. 

“Oh really?” Zack wiggles his fingers, sending her sliding across the floor towards Kimberly. 

“I hate you,” she hisses, but he just chuckles and motions for her to turn around. 

He’s pushed her a few steps in front of the princess. When she looks up from glaring at Zack, she finds Kimberly staring at her. Her head is slightly tilted and a confused smile plays at the edges of her mouth. Trini misses the wide smile she got the night before Rita took her, but she’ll accept anything Kim’s willing to give her. They stare at each other for a long moment before Trini gets her act together. 

“H-hi, Princess Kim. Princess Kimberly. Your Highness. Um. I’m Trin - Prince Aladdin. We met yesterday. Obviously. When I made a fool of myself. Which I’m doing now. Again. Um. I guess I wanted to reintroduce myself because we got off on the wrong foot. And I really didn’t mean to imply what I did earlier and I just thought that starting over might be a good idea. So you don’t think I’m an idiot.” She watches Amanda lean over and whisper something to Kimberly. “But I’m pretty sure you already do. And this isn’t exactly helping. So I’m going to-”

She goes to walk away but Kim stops her, grabbing her wrist. “Dance? I’d love to. Come on.”

She’s dragged onto the dance floor. Trini frantically searches for Zack in the crowd. They definitely did not cover dance in her royalty lessons. She sees him leaning against a table next to the guard he’s so fascinated by. He has a gross smug grin on his face. At least one of them is having a good time. He meets her eyes and she desperately mouths that she can’t dance, freezing in a nervous smile when Kim looks back at her. She looks at Zack, who waves off her concern. His fingers start tapping against his leg and Trini finds herself walking in time with them. When she tries to break the rhythm, her legs don’t move. Great. Zack has control of her body. What could possibly go wrong?

The first song goes well. It’s slower paced and all Trini has to do is step from side to side. She can’t stop herself from staring at Kim as she surveys the rest of the room. Neither of them talk, and Trini isn’t exactly disappointed. Not talking means less of a chance for her to make a fool of herself. Zack makes her twirl Kim near the end of the song, but she laughs so Trini thinks she can forgive him. 

It’s the second song that really has Trini wondering if it’s possible to murder a genie. 

The music starts and it’s obviously a choreographed dance that she’s expected to know. Kim pulls away, and Trini likes to think the movement is almost reluctant. She quirks an eyebrow at Trini, almost in challenge. Trini looks at Zack before agreeing. They go to their separate starting points and the next thing Trini knows, she’s whirling around the room. She doesn’t know exactly what she’s doing, or if she’s doing it right. She’s trusting Zack for that, which scares her, knowing Zack’s flair for dramatics. No one is looking at her strangely, and even Kim looks vaguely impressed. It isn’t until, during a spin, Trini catches sight of Zack. He’s mouthing “trust me” in her direction and Trini’s stomach plummets. 

Zack makes her do a flip. And other ridiculous things, but Trini thinks the flip is the worst. 

The crowd loves it, but Trini can tell Kim isn’t impressed. 

Trini wouldn’t be either, to be fair. She bows to Kim, making an excuse and running. She stops by Zack on the way out, hissing about not wanting to see him a few hours at least.

She makes it back to the room and throws herself on the bed. “Abu,” she says when he approaches her. “I’m an idiot.”

Abu runs his hands through her hair. It’s a soothing feeling, even with her shorter hair. Trini finds herself drifting off. At least Abu doesn’t care when she acts ridiculous. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Trini: I can’t read  
Also Trini: I use non-corporeal correctly in sentences all the time.
> 
> You can pry Julie Andrews references out of my cold dead hands. How’d y’all like this chapter?


	5. I’ve been blaming myself and I think you know why

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Trini has an awesome time. And then she has a not so awesome time.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I really loved writing the end section of this chapter. Idk how I feel about the rest honestly...I couldn’t get it to a place where I was truly happy with it  
This marks the start of the angst, but don't worry it's not gonna be super angsty

Trini wakes to the sound of the door opening. She doesn’t move, simply opening her eyes enough to see Zack creep into the room. He glances over at her, nodding to himself when he sees her seemingly asleep on the bed. He waves at Carpet and goes into his lamp. The party must be over.

Trini rolls over, staring at the ceiling. She shouldn’t have gotten upset at Zack. he was trying to help, not that it had done anything other than make him laugh and make Kim make that devastating, disappointed face. 

Kim is probably back in her room. Maybe Trini can try again. She got along fine with Kim when it was just the two of them. And she can impress her now, properly. She’s a prince. She’s a prince with a damn magic carpet, she’s impressive. 

Wait. Carpet can help her impress Kimberly. All she’ll need is someone who can distract Kim’s guard. 

Trini sits up, feet padding silently across the ground until she’s sitting cross-legged next to the lamp. “Hey, Zack?”

The top of the lamp flips open, Zack’s face filling the opening. He doesn’t look pleased. “What is it?”

Trini picks at a loose thread on her pants. “How’d you like to hang out with your boy toy for a few hours tonight?”

He narrows his eyes as though she’s going to do something malicious. “What are you up to?”

“I want to see Kim. And, y’know, I wanted to let you go have some time off as an apology. I was an ass earlier.”

“You were, but it’s not like I was much better. I wanted you to have fun and I got carried away,” Zack concedes, finally emerging from the lamp. He rubs at the back of his neck, the other hand coming up to rest on Trini’s shoulder. 

“Are you in? Care to provide a distraction for your good pal Prince Aladdin?”

“Yeah, give me five minutes.” He zooms off, and everything is back to normal. She hears him mutter about fixing his hair and choosing a “banging outfit”. That boy talks so strangely sometimes.

Trini changes into more comfortable clothing, something closer to what she would wear before. When she was just Trini. Not Trini-but-actually-Aladdin-but-really-Trini. The clothes are still fancy, but it’s made from relaxed linen and Trini feels a lot more  _ her.  _ Once she’s ready, she grabs Carpet and they fly to Kim’s balcony. It’s a lot easier than having to sneak through the palace like she did last time. She hops quietly over the railing, motioning for Carpet to stay out of sight. 

Nothing’s really changed from what Trini can see, and she’s not really sure why she expected it to look different. Maybe because she’s different. 

They’re alone. Amanda isn’t there, and the guard, Trini really needs to learn his name, is gone too. Zack did his job then. It’s only Kim and Rajah left.

Kim is pouring over piles of paper while Rajah dozes in the corner. As Trini steps closer, Rajah startles awake, growling as Trini moves.

“Hi there,” Trini whispers, trying to stay brave even as Rajah’s growls get louder. The tiger creeps closer, sniffing at Trini as he circles her. He finally seems to remember her, licking her hand before going to lie back down. She looks away from Rajah to see Kim staring at her in confusion.

“How did you get in here?” Luckily, she doesn’t sound scared or angry. Just puzzled. 

“I have my ways,” Trini says, unable to resist referencing her first visit. “And a magic carpet. Anyways, I wanted to apologize. Which I seem to do a lot around you. I make a fool of myself a lot when I’m with you. I don’t do well in crowds. The pressure is just.” Trini makes a vague motion. “It’s a lot sometimes. And being around a pretty girl doesn’t help. I haven’t been representing myself or my country very well. I hope you’ll be able to excuse my awkwardness thus far.”

When did Trini start saying thus? Who  _ is  _ she?

“What did you say?” Kim whispers.

Trini is pretty sure she spoke clearly. She’s even kind of proud of her whole speech. “I apologized?”

“No, the first thing you said.”

Shit, Kim remembers Trini saying that. A little voice in her head cheers at the fact that Kim paid enough attention to her to remember. 

“I said that I, um, have my ways?”

Kim looks like she wants to say more, but she moves on. “Speaking of your country, where is it? I can’t seem to find it on any maps.”

“Oh, really? It should-it should be on there. Because it’s my country. Where I’m from. And it’s on maps.”

Really, why can’t Trini seem to talk around this girl? Maybe Kimberly has some weird ass genie magic too. That she...uses...to make...Trini not be able to talk around her. Yeah, maybe Trini’s just a dumbass. 

She walks up to Kim and grabs a map off the table. She doesn’t really know how to read maps, barely knows how to read as it is. There’s not much in the way of education when you’re on the streets.

“Zack,” she mutters, keeping quiet and holding the map up so it blocks her face from Kim’s sight. “Need some help.”

She lowers the map. “Ababwa isn’t on a lot of older maps, and that’s what it looks like you have here. So that might be why you can’t find it.”

Zack appears on the map, holding a glowing sign that says “Tell. Her. The. Truth.” Trini can read that much at least. Slowly. She shakes her head at him.

“Well then it’s a good thing you’re holding the newest map I have. If you’re right, it should be on there.”

Kimberly stalks towards Trini. Trini stumbles back into the table, reflexively placing the map she’s holding onto the smooth wood surface. “It’s, I mean,” Kimberly gets closer. She smells like flowers and spices and a little bit like sweat and Trini really can’t concentrate right now. She’s so  _ close.  _ Trini can see that she has a few freckles sprinkled along the bridge of her nose, that she has a tiny mole just above her mouth. Which Trini now can’t stop staring at. Kim needs to give Trini some space so she can breathe.

“It’s right here.” She jams her finger down on the map.

Kim grabs it and Trini lets out a sigh as she moves away. “Huh. How did I miss that?”

“Maps are confusing?” Trini shrugs. “Have I managed to satisfy your curiosity, Princess?”

“For now, Aladdin. Did you need anything else or was that all?”

Trini backs towards the balcony, not willing to let Kim out of her sight quite yet. She’s softer like this, alone in her room late at night. Less Princess and more Kim. 

“To make everything up to you, I thought we could go out. Explore a little.”

“How? We can’t make it out of the castle.”

“A lot is possible when you have a magic carpet.”

Kim scoffs. “A magic carpet. Sure. And I have a genie.” She raises an eyebrow at Trini in challenge. 

Little does she know. Trini laughs. “Hey now, don’t knock my carpet.”

“You’re crazy.”

“That’s what Zack tells me.” Trini winks, climbing onto the railing of the balcony. “You sure you don’t want to come?”

“I don’t think I should follow a strange prince off my balcony.”

“Suit yourself.” She drops backwards, landing securely on Carpet. 

She hears Kim’s sharp inhale as she disappears from view. Listens as she whispers, “What the fuck is wrong with you?”

Trini lets her stew for a few more seconds before she has Carpet lift them into view. “Now now, that doesn’t sound like appropriate language for a princess.”

Kim doesn’t respond, her mouth hanging open as she stares at the floating carpet. Carpet waves. 

“What did I tell you? Magic carpet.” Trini steers them closer to Kim, kneeling and reaching out her hand. “So, what do you say? Wanna go for a ride?”

Kim doesn’t move.

“Do you trust me?” Trini asks, moving her hand closer. 

Kim jumps a little, a scrutinizing look on her face as she studies Trini. “What?” 

“Do you trust me?”

Kim slides her hand into Trini’s, the motion slow and deliberate. “Yes.”

* * *

Trini doesn’t know where to take them. It’s not like she’s had much experience with places outside of Agrabah, and her brief time with Kim’s maps only showed her that she really didn’t know how expansive the world actually is. And that maps are hard to read. Traveling, even just leaving Agrabah, takes money, and before Zack, the most Trini had to her name was a bag of dates. And a sassy monkey.

She whispers for Carpet to take them somewhere cool, figuring it has to have been around the world a few times.

She wants to pay attention to where carpet is taking them, to the way the ground rushes and blurs beneath them, but all she can focus on is Kim. Her hair gets tossed in the wind, sometimes beautiful and graceful, sometimes whipping across her face and making her giggle, making Trini’s heart skip a beat. Her face lights up when she recognizes something, her smile growing and her hands twitching like she wants to reach out and touch. That same smile turns smug when she notices Trini staring. 

“You’re missing the view,” Kim says, just loud enough to be heard over the wind. Her cheeks are flushed, her eyes sparkling in the moonlight. 

“No, I’m not,” Trini says, not looking away from Kim. 

Kimberly glances away, raising a hand to her cheek like she’s trying to soothe her blush. “You can be very charming when you want to be.”

Trini smiles. “I guess all I needed to do is be myself.”

Kim’s expression turns shrewd and she studies Trini. “So this is who you really are, Aladdin?”

And this is Trini’s chance, her opportunity to come clean. “This is all genuine me.”

Kim wants a prince,  _ needs  _ a prince. And that’s not Trini. She could tell Kim, reveal that she’s a street rat. Trini just wants more time. She’d rather be Aladdin for a little while longer than risk losing her.

“Alright.” Kim goes back to watching the scenery. 

Trini feels like she’s done something wrong, like she’s disappointed Kimberly somehow. She doesn’t know what Kim wanted, but Trini didn’t give it to her.

Carpet wiggles a bit under her, and for something with no face, it expresses disappointment surprisingly well.

They return to Agrabah. The flight back is quiet. It’s not bad, but it’s different. Kim isn’t as comfortable as she was at the start. Wanting to make the smile on Kim’s face genuine once more, Trini takes control and flies them over the streets of the city, letting Kim observe her city and her people. If Trini remembers correctly, there should be a celebration near the market tonight. The commoner version of the harvest festival. Kim will enjoy it, Trini hopes.

Sure enough, there’s a large bonfire and a crowd singing and dancing in a square a few streets from the marketplace where Trini first met Kim. Trini recognizes the song, it’s popular at festivals like this. It’s about Agrabah, about what people like about it. The song turns into a game after the first verse, adding as many ridiculous items to the tune as possible. Whoever sings for the longest without repeating wins a drink. Looking closer, Trini can see Jamal and his brother facing off. As Jamal starts to sing, Trini claps in time to the beat and starts mouthing along. He always says the same things, and going up against him is almost a guaranteed win. 

Trini’s always loved nights like these, when bonfires are lit and food is shared and drinks flow like water. They’re the few times when people don’t treat her like she’s nothing. She can feel a wide smile stretch across her face as she starts singing quietly under her breath, making up her own list as Jamal trails off, looking frustrated. She wonders absently what Kim hears, what Aladdin sounds like to her. Hopefully he has a nice voice, or Trini is making a fool of herself right now.

When the song ends, both brothers having taken their turns and Hakim, Jamal’s brother, emerging victorious, Trini turns to Kim, eager to hear her thoughts on the celebration. Their eyes meet, Kim already looking at Trini.

“What?” Trini asks. 

“It’s funny that you know that song. I’m barely familiar with it and I’m from Agrabah.”

Fuck. “I’ve always been a fan of music, and I try to learn songs from many countries.”

“Really? Do you know any songs from Egypt?”

Trini doesn’t even know what Egypt is. A country, she assumes, but she wouldn’t be able to tell Kim much more than that. “Sorry, Princess. Haven’t had the opportunity to go there quite yet.”

Kim hums, turning back to the party. They keep watching for a few minutes, laughing when a particularly drunk man gets up and starts singing, only to pass out halfway through the first line. Trini, still giggling, turns to Kimberly. She’s staring at Trini again, a peculiar, soft look on her face. It makes Trini warm, makes her flush so deeply that she’s glad it’s dark.

Kim leans in, hovering close enough that her breath brushes Trini’s mouth. Trini waits, barely breathing, for Kim to move. It feels like forever before she does. The kiss starts gently but doesn’t stay that way for long. Kim runs her tongue over Trini’s lip, her mouth gasping open as Kim’s fingers scratch at the back of her neck. Kim hums and nips at her lip. Trini groans and her fingers flex, digging into the soft skin of Kim’s thighs. Her lips are soft and full and if they weren’t already on a magic carpet, Trini would think she’s flying. 

Kimberly pulls away for a moment and Trini sways forward, trying to stay close. The princess chuckles, low and rough in a way that makes Trini shiver. She leans back in, her hands coming to rest on Trini’s hips. The kiss this time is slower, and Trini wouldn’t give it up for all the power in the world. Kim’s hands graze upwards over her torso, nails scraping at her through her shirt. Trini wants to pull her closer, but anxiety ticks at the back of Trini’s mind and she pulls back. There wouldn’t be a problem if Trini really was Prince Aladdin. As it is, Kim’s hands are getting awfully close to her chest bindings, and those will definitely give Trini away. She grabs Kim’s wrists.

“I should get you home.” Her voice is shaky.

Kim’s eyes flick down to her chest, to where their hands rest against Trini’s stomach. “Sure,” she says, pulling out of Trini’s hold.

As she does, the backs of her hands brush the small swell of her chest. There’s only so much the fabric can do to hide her figure, and Trini hopes Kim didn’t notice anything amiss. They’re almost back to the castle when Kim points down a random alley.

“Is that Abu?”

“No,” Trini says flippantly. “He’s back at the...castle.”

She realizes the trap too late.

“You look like a  _ man,  _ Trini, a prince. And you-you have  _ money.  _ How-” 

Trini cuts in, desperate to save face. “I don’t - I don’t know who you think I am. I  _ am  _ a prince. Who is Trini? Abu? I thought you said Ali. Who is  _ my _ monkey.”

Kim glares at her. “Don’t treat me like I’m  _ stupid.  _ I get that enough at the castle,” she spits. “Tell me the truth.”

The truth? The truth will ruin this. Trini  _ wants  _ this to be the truth. She wants to be a prince who can take Kim on adventures, who can offer her something greater than a shitty view off a shitty balcony. 

But Kim wants the truth. She deserves the truth- 

“Fine. I know Trini and Abu.” -But Trini can’t give it to her. “They’re friends of mine. Kind of. Business associates more like. Either way they help me scout cities. Help me know a country’s people before I arrive.”

“But you look so alike.” And Kim is  _ pleading  _ with her, seeing through the lie and begging for Trini to just tell her the truth.

“She’s my father’s bastard.” Another person who’s unwanted. Unwanted like Trini will be the instant Kim learns the truth. Unwanted like Trini always is. “She was raised in the castle, but has no title. That’s why we look alike.”

“And this is the truth?” One more chance.

“What royal wants to admit to having a bastard in the family unless it’s the truth?” A non-answer. Not a true lie but it burns through the last chance like one.

“Okay, Aladdin.” she presses another kiss to Trini’s lips, brief but enough.

And Trini’s heart soars, because Kim still wants her, still wants to kiss  _ her _ . 

And Trini’s brain chants Aladdin Aladdin Aladdin. 

And Trini wants to cry.

* * *

Trini stumbles over the railing of her room’s balcony, pressing a hand to her lips. Kim kissed her. Somehow the victory feels hollow.

“She likes me,” Trini whispers, even as she doubts the statement.

She wanders deeper into her room. “She likes  _ me, _ ” she asserts.

“Well that’s too bad,” A voice murmurs from the shadows.

“Who-” 

A flash of golden energy leaps from the corner and Trini crumbles to the ground. 

* * *

Trini groans, her head slumping forwards. She blinks once, twice, before sharp pain forces her eyes shut once more. Her head throbs, every beat of her heart sending pain lancing through her skull. She tries to raise her hands to cradle her head, they don’t move. Trini shakes her head in an effort to clear the fog in her mind, but it only makes the feeling worse. She shifts her arms, recognizing the scratch of rope against her skin. She’s tied to a...a chair, she realizes. Trini can’t remember what happened. All she can see is Kim kissing her. But something went wrong. Did she make it back to her room? Is Kim okay? That last thought has her straightening and looking wildly around the room. If Kim is in trouble-

“Ah, the sleeping prince awakens.” Rita steps into view, a haughty smile on her lips. Somehow, her outfit has become even more gaudy, even more inundated with gold. “Or should I say street rat?”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Trini rasps.

“Come now, we both know who you are.  _ DiDi.  _ I wonder if anyone even noticed you were missing?”

“I am Prince Aladdin, of Ababwa.”

“Ah, yes. The strange prince from the strange land that doesn’t exist. How could that be possible? A stolen genie, perhaps?”

Rita wants Zack. She wants  _ Zack.  _ He’s in danger. 

“What are you talking about? Genies aren’t real.”

Rita looms over her. Her hand cracks across Trini’s cheek, sending her and the chair to the floor. Trini can’t catch herself; her head slams against an uneven stone, her vision going white for a moment. 

“You see, DiDi,” Rita says, bending over and pulling Trini up with a rough hand around her throat. “I need that genie. I have  _ plans.  _ Plans for Agrabah, for the sultan, for your precious little princess. And I won’t have a filthy peasant with delusions of grandeur getting in my way. I have worked too hard, too long, to stop now. So I will ask you again.

“Where,”

Rita’s foot slams into Trini’s stomach.

“Is,”

With a wave of her staff, Trini is lifted into the air, thrown against a wall. The chair doesn’t break, but Trini feels a painful pop in her shoulder. She grunts, muffling the shout that wants to erupt from her throat. She won’t give Rita the satisfaction. Rita motions again and Trini is flung across the room.

“My,”

Sickly green smoke emerges from the tip of the gold scepter. It snakes into Trini’s nose and mouth, choking her. It  _ burns.  _ Stops Trini from breathing.

“Genie?!”

Rita kicks her once more, sending her skidding backwards. Trini cranes her head to look behind her. She’s inches from the edge of the window. Rita plants her foot on the seat between Trini’s legs, tilting it backwards.

“Where is it?”

She’s got to protect Zack.

She spits in Rita’s face. It’s more blood than spit and drips slowly down her cheek, leaving a scarlet trail. “I don’t know.”

“We’ll see. Either Prince Aladdin is about to have a very tragic accident, or I’ll see you again soon.” Rita pushes the chair off the ledge. “I can’t wait to see which it is.”

Trini can’t stop herself from screaming as she falls.

  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry this wasn't posted at the normal time! Tuesday was full of things and I couldn't find the time to post.


	6. Can't Decide What I'm Running From

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Trini continues to have a Time™ but Billy’s back! The beginning of the end here.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> a little more angst...I think. I’m not particularly good at angst so like...I tried lol

Trini’s body jerks as she comes back to consciousness, her feet kicking against something soft. Her throat burns as her stomach seizes and she gags, sea water spurting over her chest. She sits up and coughs, spilling water down her front twice more before she’s able to breath without the rough burn of saltwater in her throat. With half open eyes, she surveys her surroundings. She’s in her room. A body collides with her, sending her sprawling back onto the bed.

“You’re okay,” Zack breathes, burying his face in her hair. “I thought I was too late.”

It takes Trini a moment to figure out what he’s talking about, but it all comes back, rushing her like a wave. She stiffens in Zack’s arms. 

“Rita, she knows. She’s gonna do something. I don’t know what. But she knows I have you. I think the sultan and Kim are in danger. We have to warn them.”

She manages to sit up, even with Zack hanging onto her. When she tries to stand though, Zack holds her in place, shifting them so she’s cradled against his chest. Trini, when Zack had first disguised himself as a human, had wondered if genies had heartbeats. They do, she learns. Zack’s flutters hummingbird fast under her ear. She scared him.

“You saved me,” she says.

“Technically it took your second wish, with some rule bending on my part.” Trini can hear the tremor in his voice, feel the shake in his arms as he grasps her.

“Thank you.”

“What else could I have done? You’re my friend, and I figure you would’ve done the same thing for me.”

“Can genies even drown?”

“Let’s not try to find out.”

Trini tries to get up again, her mind still focused on getting Rita as far from Kim as she can. Zack doesn’t let her go, does quite the opposite in fact. His hold gets tighter and he burrows even deeper into Trini’s side.

“We have to warn them.”

“Not right now.”

“Not right now?” Trini curses her small frame as she struggles to get Zack to let go of her. “Zack they could be in danger.”

Zack jerks away, going ethereal for a moment so he can move to stand in front of her on the bed, close enough that she still can’t get up.

“Danger?” he yells. “You want to talk about danger? I don’t think you understand what just happened. You died, Trini. I had to use every single fucking loophole in the book just to get you out of the water and back here. I couldn’t use magic to bring you back. I-” Tears drip down his face. “I had to figure out how to bring you back the human way. If it hadn’t worked, you would be  _ gone,  _ Trini. With no way to come back.”

“Zack,” Trini says, but Zack stops her from speaking. Not that she knows what she was going to say.

“No. You were gone and now you just want to, what? Waltz up to the woman who killed you and tell her off? What is your plan here, Trini? What if she tries again? What if I’m too late and can’t save you?”

“Then at least I died trying to stop her, Zack! At least I did something instead of sitting here like a coward.” 

She may be a coward when it comes to talking to Kim, but she  _ won’t  _ be caught standing aside when Rita tries to attack the city. 

“There are guards that can help them if Rita tries anything, Trini. You don’t have to be the one to warn them.”

“But what kind of person will I be if I don’t?”

Zack sags, taking a few steps back. Trini pushes herself off the bed. Every time she moves her body protests, her muscles stiff. Zack’s acting like she’s forgotten who they’re up against, like she doesn’t know what Rita is capable of, like the woman hasn’t already tried to murder her twice. Her body won’t let her forget what Rita has done, every ounce of pain screaming her name. It’s a constant reminder, she doesn’t need Zack mentioning it too. 

“I have to go. Please, Zack, let me go.”

Trini knows Kim is never going to give in to Rita. she will keep fighting and fighting and Rita will kill her. Trini can’t let that happen. 

“She’ll kill her, Zack. I can’t-” she stops, letting out a shuddering breath. She can’t voice her fears, can’t speak them into existence lest the universe take it as permission. 

Zack grunts, stepping forward to pull her into a rough hug before letting her go. “Okay. Okay. Let’s go save a country.”

* * *

Zack leads them to the throne room, bringing them around to a side entrance where Kim’s personal bodyguard watches. He stands at attention, keeping a close eye on everything around him. When they skid around the corner, he tenses, his hand going to the sword at his side. He recognizes them, but doesn’t relax. He stares between the two of them, and there’s a hurt in his eyes that he can’t quite hide when he looks at Zack. 

“Hey, Jason,” Zack says, his voice uncertain when he sees how the man is acting towards them.

“You’re still here? But Rita said-”

Trini speaks up. “Rita tried to kill me. Whatever she said is a lie.” 

She hadn’t exactly taken the time to change or clean up at all after her altercation with Rita. The bruises and bloodstained, ripped clothing only make it easier to believe what she’s saying. She prods at a large bruise on her forearm where the rope had been, wincing at the sharp pain. 

Jason sags in relief, his hands finally falling away from his sword. “Oh thank goodness.” He rushes them, pulling Zack into a tight hug and kissing the side of his head. “I couldn’t stand the thought of you being what she said. Some kind of  _ thief  _ or  _ spy.”  _

He says the words like curses and Trini finds herself standing straighter, taking a step back from the embracing men. Thief. Trini’s lost count how many times she’s been called that. She stops herself from sinking into her self loathing by pressing deeper into the bruise and focusing on her worry for Kim facing off against Rita without her. 

“Not that this isn’t touching and adorable, but we kind of have an evil sorceress to stop? Y’all can be gross later.”

“You’re just jealous,” Zack says, showing a surprising amount of maturity for an ageless genie and sticking his tongue out at Trini.

“Yes, that’s definitely it,” Trini deadpans. “Can we go now?”

“What’s the plan? Rita is claiming that she caught you guys scheming about taking over the kingdom, that your entire trip has been some sort of way to steal our secrets. She said you ran when she caught you.”

Trini doesn’t have a plan beyond ‘get Rita away from Kim however she can’ but she isn’t sure if Jason will accept that. 

“Well, me showing up proves that she’s lying about us running. And, well, she tried to kill me.” Trini motions to herself. “She obviously wasn’t trying to be sneaky about it.”

Rita enjoys hurting people too much to be smart about how she does it. She likes seeing people bleed, likes that they cry out when they get hurt, and Trini can use that to her advantage. 

“Rita’s the Royal Vizier,” Zack cuts in. “She’s got like clout and shit. She could twist the facts or do some freaky magic or something to make people believe her.”

Trini gives Zack a weird look. “Okay, um, I don’t think we have to worry about that, but we’ll deal with it when we get there. For now we just tell them the truth.”

Now it’s Zack’s turn to stare at Trini like she has two heads but also like he’s proud of her. “The  _ truth? _ ” 

Oh, that’s why he’s proud. He thinks she’s going to tell Kim. Which, to be fair, she should. Just not now. 

“The relevant truth. So we tell them Rita tried to kill me.”

Zack looks like he thinks she should still tell the total truth, but Trini ignores him. They all turn towards the door. Jason leads the way with Trini and Zack flanking him. He kicks the door open, and if Trini had any doubts on whether he would be good for Zack, they went away with that action. The dramatic assholes definitely deserve each other. They catch the tail end of whatever lie Rita is telling.

“-was just using you, Princess. He never lo-”

Oh no she doesn’t. Anger surges inside Trini at the sound of Rita lying about Trini’s feelings. “Hey, asshole!” Trini calls. 

Rita turns towards her and her eyes light up in excitement. Dread settles deep in Trini’s gut because now Rita is sure she has the genie. But that doesn’t matter right now. She pushes away the feeling and focuses on getting Rita as far from Kim as possible. 

“Turns out I didn’t run,” Trini says, holding her arms out in a ‘here I am’ gesture. She doesn’t hide her wince when the motion makes her shoulder twinge. She looks past Rita to the sultan and Kim. “Your majesty, Princess Kimberly, I am not sure exactly what Rita told you, but as you can see, she’s lying. Rita made an attempt on my life after kidnapping me from my room last night.” 

Rita tries to protest. “I did nothing of-”

“Really, Rita? Look at me. You weren’t particularly careful when you beat me.”

Zack steps forward in a low bow. “I was there, Sultan. When Trini wasn’t in her room when I woke up, I started looking for her. I saved Trini after Rita pushed her from the tower into the ocean. My people are very strong swimmers, fortunately.”

The sultan studies them, eyes flicking over Trini’s ripped and bloody clothing. He stands, all power and intimidating force and suddenly Trini sees him as the king, not as Kim’s slightly eccentric father. He advances on Rita, making her step back a few paces. Trini, Zack, and Jason all crowd towards Kim as they watch the sultan and his closest advisor face off. Trini places herself squarely in front of Kimberly, keeping her eyes on Rita in case she tries something.

“You lied to me, Rita? Why? What could you even hope to gain from this?”

Rita dips her head, coming as close as she gets to actually bowing. “Sultan, I am trying to protect you. Prince Aladdin,” she says the name mockingly, a quiet threat to Trini. “He is no good. He is dangerous.”

“He might have been a bit awkward when he first arrived, but he has shown nothing but good intentions since he came here. What evidence do you have?”

Rita taps her staff against the ground almost absently. Trini notices the green coin in the middle of the scepter start to glow slightly.

“My sultan, you can trust me. I have served you faithfully for years.”

“Served me for years,” the sultan repeats faintly.

“Prince Aladdin is dangerous,” Rita continues. “He will be the downfall of Agrabah.”

Trini can see the green glow reflected in the sultan’s eyes. He’s swaying slightly in place, leaning towards the staff. Freaky magic. Right. 

“Dangerous,” he murmurs. 

“Yes, my sultan. You know what I am saying is true. We must get rid of Aladdin.”

Trini looks around. Everyone else has noticed what is happening, but they all stand there, struck immobile by fear or surprise. Taking a deep breath, Trini charges Rita. The woman is so focused on the sultan that she doesn’t see Trini coming. She snatches the staff from Rita’s hands, swinging it in a high arc before slamming it onto the ground. It shatters. The green coin goes skidding across the floor, disappearing from view. Rita lets out a tortured, angry screech, spinning towards Trini and swiping out at her. Her nails, long and filed and tipped in metal, rip across Trini’s chest and throat, leaving bleeding gashes across her skin. Trini yelps. She stumbles backwards, hand held against the wounds. Jason finally finds his bearings and moves forward, grabbing Rita and securing her hands behind her back.

The sultan shakes himself and blinks slowly. He looks as though he’s waking from a dream, like he doesn’t know where he is. 

“What?” He takes in the scene before him, the smashed scepter, the new gashes across Trini’s skin, Jason holding Rita captive. His face hardens. “Take her to the dungeon. She is no longer the Royal Vizier.”

* * *

They end up crowding into a small sitting room after Rita’s been taken away. The sultan collapses on a couch, looking years older than he is. Kim sits next to him, their shoulders pressed together. She cradles his hands in her own, both giving and receiving comfort from the touch. He motions for Trini and Zack to sit on the opposite couch.

Trini sits, studying Kimberly and her father before glancing at Zack. This is when she should tell them. Maybe her heroics will make them more likely to forgive her. Her stomach rolls at the thought of the look on Kim’s face when she finds out Aladdin isn’t real. Being forgiven doesn’t necessarily mean Kim will run into her arms. But Rita almost got away with whatever her plan was, and Trini needs to come clean before something else happens. 

She takes a deep breath, ready to start her story. Zack taps the side of her leg with his hand, somehow knowing what she’s going to do and offering his support. 

“I can’t believe Rita would do something like this,” the sultan whispers before Trini can say anything. “What else has she done that I don’t know about?”

That’s a scary thought. How many laws in the kingdom are a result of Rita’s influence?

“I am sorry, Sultan. This cannot be easy,” Trini says, forcing the words out. “I-”

“Thank you, Aladdin, for your bravery today. It only confirms the decision Kimberly and I have come to.”

Trini can feel the color drain from her face. He can’t do this, not now. Not before Trini tells them. 

“Sultan-” she tries. 

The sultan holds up a hand to stop her words. “Please, Prince Aladdin, let me finish.”

And Trini can’t exactly tell the sultan no. “Of course. My apologies.”

“Kimberly has expressed her desire to marry you,” he says. Trini can’t stop the smile from spreading on her face. Kim  _ likes  _ her. There’s a roiling dread in the pit of her stomach, clashing with the happiness Trini can’t help but feel. Overall, Trini just feels sick. “I believe you would be a wonderful match for my daughter. The best match a father could hope for.”

If only they knew. And Trini can’t tell them. She can’t break up this charade, not now that they actually want her to marry Kim. There had been that perfect point to tell them, but Trini missed it because she had  _ hesitated.  _ Not for long, but enough that the window has closed. Trini’s stuck.

Kim says,” I have enjoyed getting to know you. The more time I spend with you, the more I find myself falling.” Her voice turns bashful and she sweeps a lock of hair behind her ear. Trini’s fingers twitch, wanting to run her fingers through the soft strands. “I want to be with you. Share everything with you. Nothing that you tell me will change my mind.” 

The hair on the back of Trini’s neck stands up. Why would Kim mention that? Unless- 

“Tr-Aladdin, I would love to be your wife.”

Trini makes some sort of response she’s sure, but she can’t make anything out past the ringing in her ears. They make nice with Kimberly and the sultan for a few more minutes before someone, Zack, Trini thinks, makes an excuse for them to leave. Kim presses a kiss against her cheek, and even that sensation is muted. 

* * *

They return to the room in silence, shellshocked and shaking. Trini sits on her bed, staring into space. 

“I can’t let you go,” she says, the words surprising her even as they come out. Even though she knows she means them.

“What do you mean?” Trini doesn’t look at Zack when he speaks, keeping her eyes barely focused on the ceiling.

“I need you,” Trini’s voice wavers. “Because-because they  _ want  _ me. They think I’m good and proper and they  _ want  _ me. Kim looks at me like she  _ loves  _ me. And that’s because of you. You made me into something worthwhile. Turned a street rat into a prince. I can’t - I can’t lose that, Zack.”

She looks at Zack and wishes she didn’t. Pain and pity and betrayal are all over his face. “I didn’t do that, Trini. All I changed was this.”

He waves his hand and a mirror appears in front of her. There he is, Aladdin. Royal, wanted, loved. Who she wants to be. 

“You’re still who you’ve always been. You’ve just got a new outside. You’re selling yourself short.”

“No.” She thinks of Jamal, of Madam Z and every single person who’s looked at her and saw her for what she truly is. Worthless. They know her. They’ve known her for longer than Zack has and Trinin knows their assessment is right. She wasn’t good until Aladdin. “I need to be the prince. And I need you so I can do that.”

“So you’re okay with lying to her? To the girl you love?”

No. She’s not. All Trini wants is to tell Kimberly but it’s too late. Trini’s too deep in this mess that she created and she can’t find her way out. “I have to be.”

“Kim isn’t going to be happy if she finds out.”

“She won’t find out. Because I’ll have you.”

Zack looks like he wants to say more, but he just shakes his head and retreats into the lamp. 

His words linger. She thinks of Kim and her father, their trust as they offered her the keys to the kingdom, the keys to the only thing Trini wants-Kim’s heart. And Kim’s face, open and happy and she called Trini  _ Aladdin.  _

And Trini stares at herself in the mirror. Except it’s not her, it’s him and suddenly Trini feels like she’s suffocating.

She feels sick. Because Kim trusts her and likes her and wants to marry her. Except it’s him him him. Aladdin and not Trini and she hates it. Aladdin is wanted. Aladdin is liked and accepted in ways that Trini has yearned to be and never been. Her own parents didn’t want her. 

She hates him. Aladdin. Except it’s her. Her that she hates and wants to change and Trini just needs to escape. 

She races from her room, barely taking the time to grab her bag and her lamp and her monkey. Guards call out to her as she runs through the castle halls, but she ignores them. They don’t try to stop her. She’s a prince, she can go wherever she likes. 

She doesn’t pay attention to where she’s running, too caught up in her own mind to care. She almost knocks someone over, not even stopping to make sure they’re okay as she runs past. It isn’t until she smells the stench of fresh dye that she realizes where her feet have taken her. She contemplates simply going home for a moment, but makes her way upstairs anyways. She doesn’t burst into the room, choosing to knock on the door and rest her forehead on the frame as she waits for an answer. 

Billy pulls the door open, looking at her in confusion. “Who are you?”

“What? Baby Blue, it’s me? Trini?”

“I-I’m sorry, but Trini is a lady and you aren’t.”

Oh shit, yeah. She’s still Aladdin. “Billy, I promise it’s me. I visited you last week when I was running from the guards. You couldn’t tell it was me at first because you had your goggles on. You built my stairs. And I stop you from getting scammed in the market.”

Abu clambers onto her shoulder and waves at Billy.

“Oh, you have Abu. I need more of an explanation, but come in.” Billy still looks sceptical, but he opens the door wider to let her in.

Trini slouches into the room, collapsing on the floor in front of Billy’s chair. He sits down, and Trini resists the urge to rest her forehead on his knee, the way she does when she’s here normally. She’d kill for Billy’s comforting touch, but it’s not like she deserves it right now. 

“It’s a long story, Billy. I-I got taken by the Royal Vizier? Rita? And she took me into the desert and made me grab a lamp.” She tells him the story, each word getting harder to say the closer she gets to the end. She starts crying at some point. “I ruined it, Billy. Everything. I’m selfish and a liar and Jamal and Madam Z are right. I’m nothing but a street rat.”

Billy just says her name, says it like he believes her, like he’s relieved to see her. He pats his knee and she slumps forward gratefully. He runs his fingers through her hair.

“Am I - am I a bad person?” she asks, wincing at the way her voice breaks.

“I don’t think anyone who actually knows you would say you’re a bad person,” he states. “You’re always helping people.”

“Billy, I’m a thief. Good people don’t steal. They don’t cheat people out of their things.”

“I think,” Billy pauses and hums like he does when he’s trying to gather the thoughts that fly around in that big brain of his. “There’s not a right way to be a good person. Sure, you steal, but you’ve never stolen from people who can’t survive without whatever you take. Before you even knew me you decided to help me. You gave me a chance when most people wouldn’t. You didn’t just stop that man from taking more money than he was owed, but you stuck with me after. You made sure no one did that to me ever again. Bad people don’t do that. I know people say a lot of bad things about you and that you believe them, but they’re wrong. You’re my best friend. And you’re amazing.”

Trini doesn’t know if she believes him, but it’s nice to hear anyways. “I betrayed two of my friends.”

“You made a mistake. You were scared,”  _ Are,  _ are scared, Trini corrects in her head. Terrified, really. 

“I understand. I’m scared a lot. I’m scared that my inventions won’t work or that something will blow up or that I’ll disappoint my mom. And I make stupid choices because of that, but I don’t think that makes me bad. Just human. And human is good.”

“Yeah,” Trini breathes, pushing harder into the side of Billy’s knee before she pulls away. 

“You’re my best friend. I don’t like seeing you like this,” Billy says.

“You’re making it better, Baby Blue. You make everything better.”

They sit in silence for a few minutes. Billy lets her get herself together, pretending not to see as she wipes the tears from her cheeks and takes deep breaths until she doesn’t feel as much like falling apart. 

“So you have a genie?” Billy asks, looking excited at the idea of the magical being.

“Oh, yeah. Let me introduce you guys. You’ll like him.”

She reaches into her bag, but she doesn’t feel the familiar warm metal of the lamp. Upturning the bag, Trini watches its contents scatter along the floor. The lamp isn’t there.

“Abu?” she calls. The monkey pokes his head over the edge of Billy’s workbench. “Did you take the lamp?”

Abu shakes his head. Trini’s heart begins to pound and she searches through the room, going as far as to retrace her steps to the bottom of the stairs outside Billy’s house. The lamp is nowhere to be found. Zack is gone. 

Trini collapses against the wall at the base of the stairs, knees pulled tightly to her chest. Deep breaths, almost sobs but not quite, erupt from her chest. Zack is gone and the last thing she did was betray him. 

The woman. Near the dye shop. They bumped into each other. She had been wearing a head covering. But her eyes, they had been so  _ blue  _ and so  _ angry _ that Trini had noticed them even in her panicked state. She knows those eyes.

Rita.

Rita’s escaped. She has Zack. And if she’s free she’s going to go for the sultan. For Kim.

She races back into Billy’s room sweeping her scattered belongings back into her bag. “Abu, come on. Rita has Zack.” she looks at Billy. “I need you to stay here, stay safe. I don’t know what’s going to happen, but I don’t want you in danger.”

Billy nods at her. “You stay safe too, Trini.”

Abu leaps into her arms, tucking himself in her pocket as she races onto the street. Just as she reaches the bottom of the stairs, a large crash sounds from the palace. Angry storm clouds, black and thick as pitch surround the palace grounds, swirling menacingly. 

Trini sprints towards them.


	7. I'm Losing and This is my Real Life

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Things are...revealed. “Things” it’s one thing. An Important thing.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I’m using Stardust logic for genies...when Zack is happy he glows more
> 
> ALSO  
@mismirap on tumblr made art for this??? I can't believe?? Everyone go check it out!

OK I'm stupid and can't figure out how to link art in the notes...so here's a link to @mismirap's [art](https://mismirap.tumblr.com/post/187599558112/super-rangers-have-a-trimberlyaladdin-fic-make)

* * *

It’s easy to get into the castle. Whatever Rita is doing has drawn the guards back into the palace, letting the intimidating gates keep people out. Trini just has to heave herself over the wall like she did on her first visit. It’s a harder climb this time, her muscles sore and her injuries acting up every time she stretches for the next handhold. She pauses at the top of the wall, on her back and sprawling across the walkway. She stays there until she stops panting and her ribs and shoulder don’t ache anymore. 

When she can move without wincing, Trini pushes herself to her feet and heads inside. She tries to move quickly, not wanting to give Rita too much time to enact her plan. Everything  _ hurts _ though, and her jog turns into more of a stumble. The halls of the palace are eerily quiet. No servants or patrolling guards, no strains of music from various practicing musicians. Trini heads to the throne room. Rita would like the drama of taking over a kingdom from its own seat of power. She doesn’t go in the front door. She’d be too exposed, and now that Rita has Zack, Trini has barely any chance of winning if she faces Rita head on. 

Trini goes to the side door. Opening it slowly, she slinks through the passage until she can see the main area. Zack floats near the stairs in full genie mode. He’s back to wearing his black ‘t-shirt’ and his skin is shimmering with that same white light from when she first met him. It’s duller now, almost as if Zack doesn’t want to be shining. His arms are crossed in front of him, and Trini can tell he hates whatever is happening by the clench of his fists and the set of his jaw. 

Trini cranes her neck to see the rest of the room. Rita paces in front of Kim and her father. Both are kneeling on the ground, the sultan’s hands tied behind his back. Rita says something Trini can’t quite make out, and Trini watches the sultan react with an angry shout, lunging towards Rita with his teeth bared. Rita shakes her head, the deranged smile never leaving her face. A flash of green light snaps from the end of her staff. The arc of energy sends the sultan flying backwards. He curls up, groaning in pain.

Kim screams.

At the sound, Trini tenses and she takes a step forward, ready to lunge at Rita if she moved any closer to Kim. Zack notices her movement, turning his head slightly and smiling when he sees her. He glows a fraction brighter. She smiles back, mouthing an apology. He waves it away. Her heart twinges at the easy acceptance, at his bright smile that tells her he isn’t mad at her at all. 

They turn their attention back to Rita. The woman is threatening Kim, her staff held under her chin, forcing her to look up at Rita. Trini’s blood pounds, rushing through her ears until it’s all she can hear when she sees the terrified look in Kim’s eyes, the sheen of tears down her cheeks. Gritting her teeth, Trini rushes at Rita, hoping to catch her off guard like she did before. 

She knows it won’t work the second Rita starts laughing. 

Without even turning, Rita sends a blast of green energy towards her, trapping her immobile. She begins pacing and as she moves away, Trini can see Kim fully as she kneels. Their eyes meet and Trini can see the hope in Kimberly’s eyes. She can’t tell that it’s already over.

“The prince, here to save the day,” Rita says. Her staff hits the ground. Trini lifts into the air, drifting closer to where Rita and Kim are. “Not much of a prince though, is she?”

Trini can see the moment Kim registers the pronoun. She looks away, scared to see the disappointment on Kim’s face when she figures it out. 

Rita makes a decisive motion and Trini can feel Aladdin being torn from her, her hair once more brushing her shoulders, her face soft and feminine, her clothes just rags. 

“She looks more like a street rat.”

Trini falls, whatever magic Rita had been using snapping away. She hits the ground in a heap, her face cracking painfully against the stone. Her nose might be bleeding. But maybe the warmth on her face is just tears. She can’t bring herself to look up, to see the emotions in Kimberly’s expressive eyes.

“Always in my way, DiDi. Getting into business you have no right to be in. Such an annoyance,” Rita sneers. “Why don’t you take a little trip. Hope you packed something warm.”

Rita snaps and everything disappears. She’s falling again, but she can’t tell how far the ground is. The world is white. The wind nips at Trini’s skin, a kind of cold she’s never experienced before. She lands in something white and soft and bitingly freezing. It soaks into her clothes, into her bones. 

She looks around. The white expanse stretches as far as she can see, no sign of any city or town.

She wishes she had looked at Kim.

* * *

Trini wanders aimlessly, only able to take a few steps before she has to stop, her frame wracked by violent shivers.It’s colder than anything Trini has felt before. She tries to take another step, but her legs give out under her, sending her tumbling to the ground. Trini curls into herself, trying to conserve heat. Pretty much every part of her is soaked through.

Distantly, over the rush of the wind and so faint Trini thinks she may be imagining it, she hears a familiar noise - Abu calling for help. She pushes herself to her feet, moving as quickly as she can towards the noise. In her rush, she barely avoids falling into an icy chasm. She stops just in time, sliding forward a few feet on the slick ground. Abu’s cries echo from the crack and Trini throws herself to the ground. It’s not like she can get any more wet or cold. Looking down, she can barely make out Abu, curled and shivering on a ledge. There isn’t a clear way down. Trini knows the ice is slick, but studying the edges of the rift, she figures she can make it down if she moves quickly and balances properly.

She lowers herself into the space and presses hard against the sides. She slips a few feet before she figures out how to hold herself. Once she’s stable, she flips down to where Abu is, scooping him up into her vest. He’s passed out, either from the fall or from the cold. The noises he makes are unconscious, and they tear Trini apart. Putting him close to her won’t help him get warm, but it makes Trini feel better. The climb up is harder. Trini has to find handholds in the rough walls and try not to slip as the heat from her hands, what little there is left, starts to melt the ice. It seems like an eternity before Trini hauls herself out. 

She cradles Abu’s small form close to her chest. “Hey, buddy, I need you to wake up for me.” She brushes a hand over his face. “C’mon, Abu, don’t do this to me.”

Trini thinks she would be crying, but the wind and cold stop her tears before they can really start. She sits on the ground, curling around Abu, continuing to whisper to him. She’s ready to give up hope when Abu’s hand clenches around her finger. Trini lets out a sob as he opens his eyes. He’s still wracked by shivers, but Trini doesn’t care because he’s awake and alive and she didn’t lose him. Abu doesn’t move much once he’s awake. He stays curled into Trini’s chest and they try to stay warm. Trini doesn’t know if it’s worth trying to find some kind of shelter. The white expanse looks endless, apart from the flash of color in the distant sky.

Trini sits up. That color definitely wasn’t there a moment ago, and Trini thinks it’s getting bigger. Trini feels a small spark of hope ignite in her chest and doesn’t even try to smother it. If it’s who she thinks it is, they’re getting out of here. Carpet lands in front of them a few minutes later. Trini can’t stop herself from throwing her arms around it. Hugging a carpet is weird, but Trini’s too strung out and relieved to care.

* * *

Chaos has descended on Agrabah. Carpet flies them over the outskirts of the city, and Trini can see large, hulking monsters flooding the streets. People run, panicked and screaming. Those that aren’t fast enough are crushed by giant fists and uncaring feet. The visuals make Trini sick, sending her dry heaving over the edge of the carpet. Instead of going to the palace, Trini takes control and steers them into the city center. The carnage is worse here, all the damage focused where there’s the highest concentration of people. Buildings are crumbling from the impact of monsters on their walls. Fire spreads throughout the market, the stalls easy tinder for the hungry flames. If this is what the city looks like, Trini can’t imagine the horrors that wait at the palace.

As much as she hates to put Billy in harm’s way, she’s going to need all the help she can get to beat Rita. When they reach Billy’s building, Trini leaps onto the roof. The west end of the building is in ruins. Panicking, Trini swings off the side of the building, flinging herself through Billy’s window. 

“Billy?” she calls, voice straining to be heard over the noise outside. She can’t see him in the rubble of the workshop. “Billy, where are you?!”

Terror settles low in her gut at the thought of Billy running from a rock monster, of the ceiling caving in on him before he can escape. Or of the rock monster catching him, dragging him-

“I’m here, Trini!” Billy yelps. She can hear movement in another room. “I need help!”

Trini launches herself through the room, jumping and diving over the chunks of ceiling that litter the floor. She finds Billy slouched against the wall, a large piece of stone pinning one of his legs to the ground. 

“I can’t get it off, Trini. It hurts.”

Trini kneels next to his leg, studying how to get it off. “I know, Billy. It’s okay. I’ll get this off. You’re okay,” she soothes.

She grabs the edge of the rock, setting her feet against other sturdy pieces of rubble for leverage. She counts down and pushes. At first, it doesn’t shift at all. She stops pushing and takes a deep breath. 

“One more time. When I lift it high enough, you’re going to have to move your leg really fast. I can’t hold it for long.”

“Got it.” His voice is strained.

One more countdown and Trini strains against the rock. This time, it moves and Billy hauls himself out from under it. With a slam, the rock tumbles back onto the ground. Trini throws herself at Billy, burying her face in his chest. Billy goes stiff under her, and she pulls away quickly. 

“Sorry. I’m just - I’m so happy you’re okay.”

“You’re you again.” 

“I am. Let me check your leg.” Trini runs her fingers along Billy’s leg, checking for anything obviously wrong. The leg itself is fine, but his ankle is swollen and purpling. “Nothing broken, I think. Your ankle is hurt, though.”

“That’s statistically improbable, for only my ankle to be hurt, but I won’t complain. What’s going on? It got loud and then the roof caved in before I could figure out what was happening.”

“Rita’s attacking Agrabah. There are these weird looking living rocks swarming everywhere. I-” Trini looks at his leg. She can’t put him in further danger if she doesn’t need to. “I need you to help me. I just need you to tell me where you keep those exploding powder ball things. Point me to where they are and I’ll grab them. I’ll send help when I can.”

“My bombs? Why?”

“I’ve gotta stop Rita. Those will help.”

“Okay. so we’re going to stop an evil mastermind. This week is becoming much more interesting than I thought it would be.” Billy pushes himself up, balancing on one leg. “You don’t know how to use the bombs. I’ll come with you.”

“Billy, you can’t even stand right. I can’t ask you to do this.” 

“You’re not, I want to help you save the city, and I feel like helping you will be at least marginally safer than staying in one place where I could get hurt again.”

He’s certain, Trini can tell. She loves this boy and his brave, ridiculous heart. She stands as well, ducking close to Billy’s side so she can help him walk into his workshop. They putter around the space, picking carefully through the carnage as they search for the bombs. They pull out four boxes, placing them on a flat surface so they can dig through them. They line up five deep blue orbs, setting them down carefully so they don’t roll or fall off the table. 

“Y’know, we’re lucky nothing landed on these or any of my other more delicate experiments. Could’ve been worse.”

“Always looking for the positives, Baby Blue. Are there enough explody things?”

“There should be.” He motions towards a partially collapsed shelf. “Could you grab the satchel on the bottom shelf? It should have enough pockets to store all of these safely.”

She grabs the bag and watches as Billy methodically packs, each orb going securely into its pocket. Once they’re packed, Trini leads them outside to where Carpet waits for them. Trini climbs on first, pulling Billy onto Carpet’s back so he doesn’t have to jump. Enthralled, Billy begins speculating about what makes the carpet fly.

“It’s magic, Billy. Just magic.”

_ “Just magic?”  _ Billy is incredulous. “This carpet flies. There must be some sort of logical, scientific explanation. It can’t just  _ fly. _ “

Trini looks at him, confused. “You were okay with me having a genie and looking like a man, but you can’t accept a carpet flying by using magic?”

“We all have our thresholds of belief. A magic carpet just so happens to cross mine.”

Trini chuckles, shaking her head at the confused man. “Whatever. Let’s focus on stopping the evil sorceress attacking our city.”

“Right. Yes. Priorities.”

He leans over and runs his hands over the bottom of the carpet when he thinks she’s not paying attention. 

Trini just looks towards the castle and hopes that they’re not too late. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> slightly shorter chapter this week, but the last one is a bit longer!


	8. Cause I Want You All to Myself

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Trini can finally go home

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> aaaand we’re done. It’s been fun writing and sharing this with yall!! Still can’t believe my longest fic is about Aladdin...

The palace looks sinister, completely shrouded in shadow from the unnatural clouds spiraling above it. The rock monsters crawl all over, swarming over all the buildings. The smell of sulfur permeates the air.

“How are we going to destroy them all?” Billy asks, checking his bag. “I don’t think five bombs are really enough to kill them.”

“We’re not going to. All we have to do is take Rita out. Her monster friends should die when she does.”

“Are you sure?” Billy fidgets, looking down at the castle with a furrowed brow. 

“No.” She’s not going to sugarcoat it. “I’m not. I have no fucking clue if they’ll disappear. But I do know that in the long run, Rita is more dangerous. We have to kill the bigger threat before we deal with everything else.”

Billy nods. “Okay. We’ve got this.”

Billy’s faith makes Trini warm. He holds out his hand for a fist bump. Trini taps her fist to his with a gentle smile and steers them towards the throne room. 

Everyone is on the balcony. Rita, Jason, and Kim face off. The sultan is kneeling in front of Rita with a furious expression on his face. It looks like he’s trying to get up, but whatever Rita’s done to him has left him weak. Scores of rock monsters crowd the area, herding Kim away from everyone else and towards the edge of the balcony. 

Trini steers them in a wide circular approach, not wanting to be spotted. She keeps them high in the air. They hover above the roof, pausing as Trini studies the battlefield in an effort to figure out a plan. 

“Here’s what we’re going to do,” she says, drawing Billy’s attention away from the chaos. “I’m going to get off here. Do you see the guard? Carpet is going to fly you over to him. Use a bomb to clear and area around him so you can pick him up and fly him to the princess. I want you to drop him off and keep circling above everything. I don’t want you too close to the action. Drop bombs every so often in different areas to keep their numbers down and Rita distracted. Got it?”

“I got it. What are you going to do?”

Trini smirks. “What I do best, Baby Blue. I’m gonna be a thief.” She slips off the carpet, landing on the roof with a small  _ thump. _

“Stay safe,” Billy says. 

“I always do.” She tries not to think about all the times she’s almost died recently.

Carpet flies off. Trini creeps to the edge of the roof, away from Rita and Kim even though all she wants is to run to the princess and get them away from the city. She steps off the ledge, catching herself with one hand and using her momentum to swing through one of the windows. Glass shatters inwards, the sound loud but not enough to be heard over the fighting outside. As she hits the ground, an explosion goes off outside. She lands solidly, the palm of her right hand catching on some of the glass scattered on the floor. She hisses at the bite of her palm being sliced open, but shakes it out. She wraps a bit of her shirt around her palm to staunch the bleeding.

There aren’t any monsters in the room. Trini can see signs of them, though. Piles of rock and broken tile litter the floor. Most telling, however, are the multitudes of bodies. They’re all royal guards, loyal to their sultan until the end. They lie like broken dolls around the room, their wounds too large and grisly to be made by anything but living stone. Trini’s stomach rolls at the sight and smell, but she shuffles closer to one of the corpses. She needs a weapon, and the guards won’t be using theirs anymore. A sword lies in pieces next to the body, but two daggers are strapped to the guard’s belt. She grabs them, tossing them a few times to test their weight. 

One more explosion rocks the room and Trini listens to Rita roar in anger. While her attention is elsewhere, Trini sneaks outside. She fights her way towards Rita, spinning around the monsters, sliding through their legs and vaulting off their large forms. A few times, she manages to send one sprawling into another, both tumbling to the ground. She only uses the daggers if she absolutely has to engage in close combat, and they prove surprisingly effective against the rock. The monsters are vulnerable behind the knees and Trini, when she can’t avoid it, hits them there, moving on before they’ve even hit the ground. 

She brawls her way towards Rita, staying as hidden as possible. An opening appears, straight behind the sorceress and Trini charges, daggers raised. At the last moment, Rita spins around, knocking away Trini’s downward strike. Trini’s knocked off balance but recovers quickly, lowering herself into a defensive stance. She shifts her grip on one of the daggers, the reverse hold giving her more stability in her weaker hand. 

Rita strikes towards Trini’s torso. She barely manages to block it, the staff and one of Trini’s daggers scraping together. Trini forces Rita away by shoving the staff to the side. Rita stumbles, set off balance by the move. Trini takes advantage, darting in close and slashing at Rita’s neck, the same place Rita’s nails dug into Trini’s skin. They’ll match. Blood drips from the wound, turning the green of her shirt a muddy brown.

“I didn’t know you could fight, DiDi.”

Rita doesn’t seem hurt by the wound. If anything, she seems invigorated, the insane glint In her eyes only growing stronger. She cocks her head to the side, a laugh spilling from her mouth. With a quick twirl, she sends the butt of her staff cracking into Trini’s chin. Her head snaps backwards, the coppery taste of blood flooding her mouth. Rita doesn’t pause at all, hitting Trini across the ribs hard enough to send her to her knees. She goes for an overhead strike, but Trini dodges, tumbling out of the way. Her roll brings her closer to Rita and Trini drags her blade across the back of her leg. Trini stands, her daggers flashing red in the low light. She sinks them into Rita’s side before she can bring her arm up to block. 

A loud scream pulls Trini’s attention away. She sees Billy fly through the air, hitting a wall with a sickening crunch before sliding limply to the ground. Trini doesn’t take her eyes off him, even when Rita’s staff slams into her gut. She doubles over in pain and the jerk of her body pulls one of her daggers out of Rita’s flank, but her eyes don’t move until she sees Billy’s chest move with his breath. The rest of the world comes rushing back in. Trini gasps for air, diving to the ground in a wild attempt to dodge Rita’s next swing. The vizier is even paler than normal, and she favors her right side, the hilt of Trini’s second dagger poking out of her clothing. The visual makes Trini smile. She can feel blood coating her teeth, more leaking out of a split in her lip.

Out of the corner of her eye, Trini sees Abu helping Carpet out from under a rock. That must have been how Billy got thrown. She hears the crunch of rock on flesh and sees Jason collapse, the side of his face already turning a worrying, bruised purple. If they want to survive this, they’re going to have to regroup.

Rita charges towards her, raising her arms for another attack. Trini notices a flash of familiar gold. She runs at Rita, ducking low under her swing. She hits Rita, shoulder to gut. Their momentum sends them sprawling to the ground. With one hand, she pulls her knife out of Rita’s side. She twists the blade as she removes it, using the pain to distract Rita as she grabs the lamp from where it’s hooked on her belt.

She grabs the front of Rita’s shirt, slamming her head against the stone to stun her as she stands and runs towards where Kim is backed against the railing. 

“Abu, catch!” she yells, throwing the lamp over the top of the monsters. She trusts him to catch it and focuses on dodging out of the way of rock fists as she runs towards Kimberly. 

“Carpet, we’re going to need a lift!” she almost has to scream to be heard over the fray . 

She doesn’t slow down as she gets closer to Kimberly. Moving at full speed, Trini tackles her over the railing. They fall for long, agonizing seconds before Carpet swoops down to catch them. Trini lands hard on top of Kim. She can hear the air get knocked from her lungs and winces. Abu screams in excitement from his perch on the carpet, waving the lamp like he’s proving that he caught it.

“Get us out of here,” Kimberly hollers at Carpet, apparently unbothered by having Trini on top of her. By the way her fingers are digging into Trini’s side, Trini might be tempted to say she enjoys it.

Carpet takes off towards the city, leaving behind the grasping stone hands.

“Hi, Princess,” Trini says, rolling off Kim so they can get settled on the carpet.

“You’re alive,” Kim says.

“Can’t get rid of me that easy.” Trini grabs her hand, squeezing it before letting go and focusing on where they’re flying. 

Behind them, Trini can hear Rita yelling for her genie. Her screech when she realizes the lamp is gone is louder, and much more satisfying. They fly straight over the city and Trini feels like she can breathe again. They got Zack away from Rita. Everything should be-

The ground rumbles below them. From the center of the city, directly in their path, a titan of gold rises from the ground. He towers over all the buildings, doesn’t even seem to notice them as he crushes them underfoot, charging towards them. 

“Two guess who he belongs to,” Kim mutters, her lips dipping into a frown.

Trini thinks about Rita’s gaudy gold accessories. “At least she’s staying on theme.”

Somehow, Rita projects her voice out over the city. “Goldar, get them!”

Kim laughs. “Where does she get these names?”

“Maybe her third wish should be the ability to name things.” Trini’s too busy trying to figure out how to escape to come up with a better response.

Kim grabs the front of the carpet, taking over steering from Carpet. “Time to get out of here.”

Kimberly sets them on a harsh spiral towards the ground, pulling up at the last possible second, barely missing slamming into a roof. Trini definitely did not scream. They fly just above the tops of the buildings, bobbing and weaving out of Goldar’s way. Wherever they turn, though, Goldar is right on their tail. They can’t escape.

“Going down!” Kim exclaims, pushing them into another dive. Rita’s rocks are still all over the streets, so Kim has to find a balance where she’s out of their reach but out of sight from Goldar. The buildings give extra cover, and they manage to gain some distance from the advancing monster. Trini notices a flash of red behind them, keeping up with them easily. It’s Rita’s weird bird, Zedd or whatever the fuck she decided to name him. 

“We’ve got company. Rita’s weird ass parrot is following us.”

“God I hate that bird,” Kim snarls.

“I think we – “ Trini starts.

She’s interrupted by a ball of molten gold crushing the building next to them.

“Holy fuck,” Kim yelps, yanking them to the side and out of the way of any debris.

She directs them through the twisting streets, almost as though she has a specific destination in mind. Instead of keeping her attention fully on Goldar, Trini starts to look around them, trying to figure out where Kim is headed. It’s the scent that finally makes Trini realize where they’re going, the smell of salty water filling her nose.

“Why are we heading to the docks?”

“Hot metal and water don’t exactly mix. Maybe we can get him into the water somehow.”

“Smart plan. How do you know the way?”

“Just cause I wasn’t allowed out into the streets doesn’t mean I didn’t study my city,” Kimberly says, juking them out of the way of another thrown missile.

All Trini can do is hang on tight and trust Kim’s steering. She’s a natural at it, weaving through tight spaces and swerving around corners like she’s been flying her whole life. Trini can’t help but stare at her deft movements, the flex of her forearms, the clench of her jaw as she goes around a particularly tight corner.

* * *

They almost make it to the docks. Trini can  _ hear _ the water lapping against the wood beams.

“Just a little farther,” Kim says, just as Goldar throws another ball of flaming gold. 

The fiery projectile slams into the side of the army station that usually houses soldiers that patrol the docks. There must be something inside that is flammable, because the building erupts into a huge ball of fire. Kim is quick with her reaction, but the wave of fire and heat still sends them all cartwheeling through the air.

Trini lands heavily on a balcony, her vision flashing white. Her ears ring and she feels like she can’t get enough air. She rolls onto her side, curling into a ball as though it’ll stop her body from aching. She can’t do much else.

“-ini. Trini!” A hand clamps down on her shoulder, shaking her.

Trini grunts, rolling over so she can see who’s touching her. It’s Kim, face soot streaked and sweaty. Her brow is creased in worry, tears welling up in her eyes. When she sees Trini moving, she lets out a heaving sigh of relief, dropping to her knees beside Trini.

“You’re alive. Good.” She falls forward, her head landing on Trini’s shoulder. They breathe together, giving themselves a few minutes to recoup.

Kim tucks her arms under Trini’s shoulders and knees, standing and walking them to where Carpet and Abu wait, hovering off the edge.

“I can walk, y’know.” Trini doesn’t really mind, actually likes being held by Kim even though it would be more enjoyable if every part of her body didn’t ache. She just wants to give Kim a hard time.

“And I can carry you. Be quiet.”

Kim sets her down gently before climbing onto Carpet herself. As they fly, Trini takes slow inventory of her injuries. She doesn’t think she’s ever been this beat up before. Her head is pounding and she can feel the blood drying on the back of her scalp without even having to touch it. Her ribs ache, her back burns, honestly there isn’t one part of her that doesn’t hurt in some way.

“Zedd got the lamp. Grabbed it from Abu when we all went flying.” Kim is subdued.

“Fuck.”

“Yeah.”

Rita has the lamp. Has Zack.

“I guess it’s final stand time,” Trini says, sitting up and fighting through the pain to put on a brave face.

“One last attempt at fucking Rita’s shit up.” Trini doesn’t think Kim has ever sounded so determined.

* * *

Rita’s standing on the balcony when they land, almost like she’s waiting for them. Zedd perches on her shoulder, looking way more pleased than a parrot has any right to be. They climb off the carpet. Trini stands next to Kim, but puts herself slightly in front of her. Kim doesn’t need it, and it’s not like Trini is providing any significant cover for the taller woman, but it makes Trini feel better. Rita smiles at them, smug and ugly. Zack stands behind her, staring at Trini. Begging her to do something.

“You truly thought you would win. How cute.” 

She throws a hand out, and familiar green energy spirals towards them. Trini steps in front of it, but it easily spreads around her. It wraps around Kim, lifting her up and around Trini. In a familiar move, the green magic invades Kim’s nose and mouth. Trini’s chest tightens, remembering the feeling of the magic stealing all the breath from her lungs. Rita retracts her hand and Kim moves with the motion, floating towards Rita. Her feet kick uselessly in the air, a hand clawing at her throat. Her face is a mask of cold fury and fear. 

Rita turns to Trini. “You just don’t know when to quit, do you? Always underfoot, not that it mattered. I’ve won. You did all this, and for what? For  _ her? _ ” Rita sneers. “You aren’t worthy to have the genie. You had access to unlimited power and you use it on a fool’s quest for love. Not that the princess would ever love a peasant like you.”

Rita’s pulled Kim far enough forward that Trini can’t see her face, but that doesn’t stop Trini from staring at the back of her head. Her gaze slides back to Rita, the tightness in her chest calming somewhat. Trini doesn’t need Kimberly to love her back. It doesn’t matter. Trini loves her. Wants her safe and happy. Wants her to never go through something like this ever again. And to ensure that, Trini just needs to figure out how to stop Rita. 

“Only I realize the true potential of the genie. Only I can understand how to utilize its power!”

Zack.  _ His  _ name is  _ Zack, _ Trini wants to scream. He may be a powerful genie, but that doesn’t-

Wait. 

That’s it. Power is what Rita wants, and if Trini plays her right, power is what she’ll get. Trini just needs to fight dirty. 

“Yeah, so you had the genie make you into some powerful sorcerer. You’ve still got just as many wishes as everyone else, and if I’m counting it right, you only have access to unlimited cosmic power one more time. Imagine what you could do with more.”

Over Rita’s shoulder, Trini sees Zack looking at her like she’s crazy. She struggles to keep a straight face, wanting to laugh at his panic.

“I have everything I need. I am the most powerful –”

“Human,” Trini interrupts. “You’re a powerful  _ human _ . Too bad there’s still a being stronger than you. Sounds to me like the universe is saying  _ you  _ aren’t worthy of power.”

“I  _ am  _ worthy,” Rita protests.

“Doesn’t look like it.”

Rita snarls at Trini, taking a few threatening steps towards her. Trini stays as still as she can, even as Rita steps into her space, their noses almost brushing as Rita stares down at her. 

“I’ll show you. Genie!” Zack floats closer as Rita fishes the lamp from her robes, rubbing it without taking her eyes off Trini. “Make me like you. I wish to be as powerful as you.”

Zack makes eye contact with Trini again, a dumbfounded look on his face as he realizes what she’s done. She winks at him. 

“One all-powerful genie coming up…” Zack waves his hands and Rita begins to change. Her genie form is a deep emerald, gruesome spikes erupting from all over her skin. She cackles as she looks at her shifting body, looking down at Trini and Kim with a self-satisfied expression. “…With all the bling.”

Two shackles appear, clamping around Rita’s wrists. A lamp, black as midnight, appears on the ground below her. Her legs turn incorporeal, the edges of her form being suck into the spout of the lamp.

Her powers bound by the shackles, Rita loses control of her magic. Kim drops to the floor, gasping for breath. The rocks crumble to pieces, not moving again. Goldar, in the distance, melts back into the ground.

“What is this?” Rita says, voice booming from where she looms over them.

Trini smirks at her. “First rule of genies, Rita. Be specific with your wishes. Have fun in your lamp.” Trini wiggles her fingers in a sarcastic wave as Rita gets pulled into her lamp.

Zack picks up the lamp, dangling it from two fingers. “Ugly lamp for an ugly motherfucker.” He flicks it away, the lamp soaring over the city before disappearing into the distance. “Have fun in the Cave of Wonders. Maybe a few thousand years will mellow you out.”

* * *

It’s over. Rita’s gone. Trini sags in relief, stumbling slightly as fatigue catches up to her. She limps to where Billy is still slouched against the wall, holding a hand against her ribs. Only one of his eyes is open. The left one is crusted with blood, dried now, from a cut high on his forehead. Trini whispers that she’s going to touch him and gently shifts him around, checking for serious injuries. She doesn’t see any. The worst he has is mottled bruising up and down his back, likely from the impact when he was thrown from Carpet’s back.

“How’re you feeling?”

Billy grunts, shifting his weight a little. “I feel about as good as you look, so, y’know, things could definitely be better.”

“Sassy, Baby Blue. I’m going to take that to mean that you’ll be fine.” She runs a hand over his head, soothing herself and letting herself soak in the fact that Billy is okay. “Let’s get you inside somewhere you can lie down.”

She slings one of his arms over her shoulder and they stand together, shuffling inside. There’s nowhere inside the throne room for Billy to rest so Trini drags him over to the back room where her and Zack had met with the sultan and Kim not even a day ago. The couches are intact and Trini helps Billy sit. As soon as he hits the cushion, Billy slumps to the side, sprawling across the seat.

“Rest here until you feel good enough to go home. No one will mind you being here.”

Billy’s eye slips shut. He nods.

Satisfied that he’ll be okay, Trini wanders back outside. Kim is still on the ground where she landed after Rita dropped her. She’s curled in on herself, her head tucked between her knees. Trini walks over, resting her hand on Kim’s shoulder.

“Hey, Princess.”

Kim looks up at her, fresh tear tracks streaking through the soot that coats her cheeks. “She’s gone?”

“Yeah, Kimberly. She’s gone. We don’t have to worry about her anymore.”

She wipes messily at the tears, which only succeeds in making her face dirtier. Trini wants to comfort her, but doesn’t know how. Doesn’t really know if Kim wants that from her. Kim holds out her hands, a silent plea to help her stand. This Trini can do. This is what she needs, instructions on how to help Kim, permission to touch her. Trini grabs her hands and hauls her to her feet. She pulls a bit too hard and Kim ends up inches from her. Trini can’t stop herself from leaning forward, resting her head on Kim’s shoulder. She smells like ash and sweat and the faintest hint of jasmine. She’s okay. Alive and resting her head on top of Trini’s. The last little bit of tension in Trini’s body fades. Their hands are still clasped between them, pressing against their bellies. Trini runs her thumbs over the backs of Kim’s hands, catching on the edge of her shirt every so often.

“Are you alright?”

Kim laughs, the sound not at all happy. “Mostly. Trini, we have to –”

“Crazy Girl!” Zack’s wild holler interrupts whatever Kim was going to say, and Trini is thankful for the disturbance. 

She drops Kimberly’s hands and takes a half step back. “Best go see what he needs. Go, make sure your dad’s okay. I’ll see you when we get everything sorted.”

Trini walks away. She knows that Kim is going to want to talk. She also knows what Kim will probably say. She’ll let Trini down easy, let her know that she’s grateful for the save but that she doesn’t feel the same way. She’ll be nice about it, earnest in a way that will make Trini  _ ache.  _ It’s not that Trini minds the coming rejection. Her resolve from earlier still stands – all she wants is Kim’s happiness. She’d just rather not  _ hear  _ it. Rejection, no matter how gently given and well meaning, still hurts. Trini’s body aches enough for the next ten years. She doesn’t need to add emotional turmoil to that too.

On the absolutely minuscule chance that Kim does feel the same, nothing really changes. Trini still has to leave. She’s a woman. A peasant. Kim can’t be with her. And Trini won’t ask Kim to go against her father’s wishes, against tradition, against the law. Trini’s not worth it.

* * *

Zack is practically vibrating with energy when she reaches him. She has to squint for a few seconds so her eyes can adjust to the bright glow coming off his body. He’s happy, and Trini lets herself smile, basking in the success of the day.

“You did it!” he crows, grabbing her around the waist and spinning her through the air. It hurts, but Trini laughs anyways, caught up in Zack’s excitement. He puts her down and bounces on his toes. “I have so many ideas for your third wish. You could wish to change the law so you and Kimberly could be together. You could-”

Trini zones out, letting Zack’s words wash over her without absorbing anything. He looks so excited, proud of all his ideas to help her. It’s like he doesn’t even care that he won’t be free, like he’s content just to see her happy. She knows what her third wish will be. Has known since she lost the lamp.

Zack notices that she’s just standing there smiling at him and pauses. “You already know how you’re gonna do it, huh? Alright, Crazy Girl, hit me with it.”

He rubs his hands together, magic sparking between his palms. Trini grabs the lamp from where it’s been tossed against the rubble. She runs her palm over the warm metal.

“I wish,” she starts, committing the sight of Zack happy and glowing and ready to help in her mind. She doesn’t want to forget this moment. “That you were human.”

Zack pulls his hands apart, a small cloud of magic floating between his palms. “One -” His voice cracks on the word as he registers what she said. The magic dissipates into the air. “What did you say?”

Trini laughs at his surprised expression. “Zack, for my third wish, I wish for you to be human.”

“You - what?” 

“I made you a promise when we first met. Now come on, let’s see some crazy genie magic. Make it good, it’s the last time you get to use it.”

Zack yells in excitement, the sound echoing around them. His white glow flares, blinding Trini for a second. Blackness surrounds him from head to toe, the magic crackling with flashes of lightning. It makes the hair on Trini’s arms stand up, makes goosebumps break out over her arms. The lamp in Trini’s hand loses its warmth, some of its sheen. A crack of thunder erupts from the dense mist and the black cloud dissipates as though it was never there. 

Zack still looks like himself. The white aura is gone, leaving his skin a natural, healthy tan. His clothing is unfamiliar. The t-shirt Trini recognizes, but it’s joined by a strange pair of tight blue pants and clunky cloth shoes. It looks uncomfortable.

“Trini, Trini, what should I try to summon?”

“Uh, three crates of ale?” Trini really needs a drink.

Zack snaps. Nothing happens. 

“I’m gonna turn Abu into an elephant again.”

He points at the monkey as he searches through the rubble, a tiny frown on his face. Abu doesn’t even look up. 

“I’m human,” Zack whispers. “It worked. I’m-I’m human.”

“You know what that means, right?” Trini points over at Jason. “The hero gets the man.”

Zack turns bashful. “Do you think he’ll still want me? After everything he saw? After what I did?”

“I spent five minutes around the two of you and I’m certain that tall, pale, and broody is head over heels for you. Go talk to soldier boy. Be gross and in love.”

Zack dips his head towards Kim. “Only if you do the same.”

“I will. I want to get my thoughts together first.”

Zack claps her on the shoulder. Not her bad one luckily, but she still winces a bit as he jostles her. “Later, Crazy Girl.” 

He skips over to Jason, throwing himself into the other man’s arms. Trini smiles at the joy on both their faces as Zack tells Jason what happened. Jason spins him around, like Zack did to her earlier. Except this spin ends in a kiss, which, gross. 

Trini looks away, her eyes inevitably finding Kim. She’s happy, hugging her father with tears streaming down her face. Trini can see the sultan’s shoulders shaking too. Safe and happy. As she should be. Abu joins her as she watches the reunions, the remains of his fez clutched in his hand. She takes it from him.

“We’ll get you a new one, buddy, don’t worry.”

Zack and Jason move to talk to Kimberly and the sultan. It’s easy to slip away while they talk. If there’s one thing thieves are good at, it’s disappearing without a trace. Trini can’t help but look back once, staring at the smile on Kim’s face as she nods at something Jason says. Trini finds herself smiling in response, even though Kim isn’t even smiling at her. 

She disappears into the palace.

* * *

Trini makes her way slowly through the halls. She’s come to love it here, the ornate decoration and the constant smell of incense. She loves the colors draped over every surface, the brightness of the place. She likes imagining a younger Kim racing through the halls and getting into trouble. She’ll miss it, and absorbs the atmosphere as much as she can as she leaves. 

There are no guards throughout the castle, no one to give her trouble as she wanders towards the exit. She steps out onto the main street and takes a deep breath. It’s nice, being back in the city. Around her people bustle around, righting their stalls or helping others clean the mess left by Rita’s attack. It’s refreshing, seeing people come together. The noise and constant movement are familiar, comforting after the day. After the past week, really. 

As she walks, Trini slips her hand into her pocket. Her fingers nudge warm metal. She furrows her brow in confusion, fishing the item from her pants. It’s Kim’s hair clip, the one she took when she snuck into the palace what seems like a lifetime ago. She smiles down at it, pleasantly surprised that she hadn’t lost in somewhere in the insanity. She’ll keep it, one more way to remember Kim by. Not that she could ever forget. 

“Thief!” a familiar voice yells from behind her. For once, the word doesn’t make her frown. 

Trini stops walking and turns around, taking in the panting, disgruntled, dirty princess standing behind her. “What have I stolen this time, Princess?” she asks, slipping the clip back into her pocket. 

Kim closes the distance between them, whispering, “guess” before sweeping Trini into a kiss. Trini can’t stop from sinking into it, letting the rest of the world fade away. Her mind goes blank besides thoughts of Kim. 

Kimberly pulls away and everything comes rushing back in. All of Trini’s doubts, her resolves, her decision to leave Kim behind,  _ everything.  _ Trini shakes her head, brow furrowing as she backs away. Her lips tingle from the kiss and she wishes they would stop because the feeling is making it hard for Trini to think. She doesn’t...she doesn’t understand what’s happening. Kim shouldn’t be kissing her. She should be in the castle figuring out how to rebuild, giving Trini space to get over her. She should be mourning the loss of Aladdin. 

“What are you doing?” Trini whispers, backing up again when Kim steps closer. She tries to ignore the pain on Kim’s face when she flinches away from her. “This - this isn’t right.”

The joy on Kim’s face has faded, eclipsed by something Trini might call heartbreak. “T-Trini, what do you mean?”

“You,” Trini’s voice is rough with tears. Her body hurts and now so does her heart and Trini just wants to  _ rest.  _ “You want Aladdin.  _ Deserve  _ Aladdin. You don’t want me.”

And something like understanding dawns on Kimberly’s face. “Trini,” she says her name so quietly Trini barely hears her. “Of course I want you. I never wanted Aladdin. Never loved him. It’s always been you.”

But that means- “You knew?”

“It took a little while, but I figured it out.” Kim smiles, a peace offering Trini doesn’t know if she should take. 

“Why didn’t you tell me?”

Trini doesn’t move when Kim gets closer this time. She falls prey to the smile, lets Kim brush her hair from her face, lets her cup the back of her neck with a gentle hand.

“I dropped hints. I didn’t want you to run if I told you. I wanted you to tell me when you were ready. You were hiding for a reason, and I wanted you to  _ want  _ to be honest with me.”

“But why?” Trini can’t help but ask. “Why me?”

Kim brushes her lips across Trini’s forehead. “Because you’re amazing. You’re selfless and kind and you care so much. I love  _ you _ , Trini. Just you. No need for a fancy title or a genie or riches. You’re worth more than all that. Why couldn’t you see that? Why couldn’t you tell me?”

“I was scared. No one wants a street rat. And you’re...Kim, you’re a princess. I can’t-”

“Trini. You.” Kim seems frustrated, like she can’t find the words to say. “Street rat, princess, those are just words. They don’t  _ define  _ us. They aren’t who we are. Y’know, I found something in my research, when I was trying to figure out if genies could be real. The cave you found Zack in? It doesn’t let just anyone in. It looks for the diamond in the rough.”

Trini remembers the disembodied voice of the cave saying something like that. She isn’t sure why it matters right now though. “So? There were lots of diamonds in there.”

Kim shakes her head, looking at Trini in a way that has her blushing. "No, Trini. You're the diamond. The cave looks for someone like you. Someone who should be rough and mean and bad because that's what the world's been to them but is good and kind and noble. You never would have found that lamp if you didn't deserve it. If you weren't worthy of its power. The cave saw the same things that I see in you. The same things that made me fall in love with you.”

Trini can’t stop herself from fisting Kim’s shirt in her hand and tugging her down, pressing their lips together roughly.

“Come home with me,” Kim pants when they part. “Stay in your chambers and sneak out at night and take me on adventures. Go out with Jason and Zack on their boat with me. I can teach you how to dance, how to read. Just, y’know, stay.”

Kim grabs one of Trini’s hands in both of her own, gripping it tight and running a finger over her palm. 

“I can totally read.”

“No you can’t.” Kim laughs. “What do you say? Will you stay?” Kim looks so hopeful, playing with Trini’s fingers and looking at her through her eyelashes.

Trini smiles, the rest of her doubts fading. “I think I can do that.”

Kim takes her hand and leads her home. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> come talk to me on tumblr @super-rangers or drop me a prompt so I can keep writing about these idiots

**Author's Note:**

> Tell me what you think!!


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